By Tyler Reese

Starting the semester fresh is usually the way to go but instantly regretting stepping outside because you feel like you walked into a sauna definitely isn’t a good feeling.

Heat waves have been burning Southern California making it harder to focus and not just for students but for the entire surrounding community. Temperatures have skyrocketed into the triple digits and have stayed stagnant where they are. Will this heat wave stay lingering into Riverside City College’s fall semester or fade away into the cold fall weather students usually look forward to?

Since El Nino ended, the Southern California region has been scorched with blistering heat waves and multiple wildfires. Not only has So-Cal been pounded with many heat waves but California is still under a drought state of emergency. In 2014 Governor Jerry Brown declared state officials to assist farmers and communities that are economically impacted by dry conditions and to ensure the state can respond if Californians face drinking water shortages, according to CA.gov.

Due to the constant high temperatures that the So-Cal region is being scolded by, it’s vital that students have water on them at all times or the knowledge of where buildings with air conditioning or restrooms are at, if not heat stroke may be inevitable. Heat stroke is a medical emergency. If you suspect someone has heat stroke, call 911 immediately and provide first aid until help arrives. If possible move the person into an air conditioned or a shady area. If not, remove unnecessary clothing while fanning the person and wetting their skin with water. If possible cover patient’s neck, back, armpits and groin according to WebMD.com.

For students who do not know the following buildings have ample shade and air conditioning, Digital Library, Martin Luther King building, Bradshaw building/cafeteria and the new student services building. For more areas with higher concentrations of shade look no further than inside of the Quadrangle, Healing Garden and the grass area near the Bradshaw building and bookstore. Along with shade and air conditioning drinks and snacks are also available in many vending machines around the campus plus the bookstores snack area and cafeterias full menu.

The cold weather that usually greets RCC students in the fall semester may be delayed an extra month or two until December because of the ongoing weather patterns and if we run the chance of getting a La Nina, according to Weather.com temperatures could drop two degrees below average in the So-Cal region which would heavily impact our weather for the rest of the year and well into 2017 as a possible wet year. So as for right now a cold fall semester doesn’t seem plausible but only if La Nina takes hold in December then the high temperatures we are currently dealing with should be able to cool and dwindle down. Get ready students it seems like it’s going to be one hot semester.