Gabriela Sandoval EDINBURG – As temperatures rise, staying cool on campus has become a daily inconvenience for students and staff, from seeking shade between classes, to spending more time indoors with air conditioning, people are finding ways to beat the heat.
According to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Association, or NOAA, this summer is on par with Summer 2023, which is the hottest summer recorded in the RGV, reaching highs of almost 104 to 106Fahrenheit degrees. Last month’s hottest day reached 109 degrees.
“When we see a rapidly developing El Nino condition through the spring, summer and early fall, in recent decades, it’s tended to align well with very hot summers, particularly July, August into early September,” said Barry Goldsmith, meteorologist from the National Weather Service in Brownsville
Goldsmith said the rise in heat levels experience has been caused by El Nino, a natural climate pattern, as well as a period or global warming.
Goldsmith said this combination could lead to a further increase in the temperature through the next few summers.
He said he believes that if the temperature continues on an upward trend, it could become a new normal.
“We have to prepare for heat safety, especially to our vulnerable communities. And that means having access to cooling centers, having ways of getting people that work outdoors to a safe cooling place during the day. So that they don’t have a heat related illness or worse a heat stroke,” Goldsmith said.
Students across campus have felt the blistering heat on their way to class. KVAQ-TV spoke with a few.
“It’s, it’s punishing. If you aren’t prepared for it, pos [well] you’re going to suffer,” said Catherine Lara, English freshman.
“Man, it’s bad. It’s bad, it’s really bad, it’s like I can’t even stand it for real,” shared Felix Ocanas, Business Information freshman.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some heat exhaustion symptoms to look out for are headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness and other symptoms.
For more information on how to stay cool, visit the CDC website.
