Number of new tuberculosis cases: 9,582 (2013) Number of new salmonella cases: 50,634 (2013) Number of new Lyme disease cases: 36,307 (2013) Number of new meningococcal disease cases: 556 (2013)
Death Valley, California, is the largest national park in the contiguous United States: 3.4 million acres of desert vastness. At first glance it appears to be a barren wasteland, to be hurried through as quickly as possible, but the alert visitor soon recognizes that there is much here to see and experience.
In its extreme, the weather shadow effect can create desert environments such as Death Valley, which formed due to the Sierra Nevada and Pacific Coast Range to the west blocking rainfall almost entirely. As a result the average annual rainfall in Death Valley is just 60mm.