As snow blanketed the hot sand of Manhattan Beach, California in late January, many began to think that it was the end of the world. The last time any sort of snow fell on the southern California beach was 1953. Since then, Californians have experienced highs of 90° and lows of 60°, but never snow. Before the peaceful snowfall, thousands of residents from Orange County, San Bernardino, and Riverside were evacuated from their homes regarding fear of mudslides.
Many locals are speculating the reasoning behind this strange occurrence. “It could be because of global warming since the snow on the beach is such a rare occurrence,” native Deanellie Ponce said. “The climate could be changing. We have messed up the earth in many ways….we could be going through the process of an ice age.” The whole situation has everyone speculating, as snow is the last thing expected during a global warming crisis.
While Orange County, San Bernardino, and Riverside did not experience the snowfall, they still had quite a scare. “California has been in a drought for a long time, so we rarely get rain,” resident Anna Feng said,” The possibility of evacuation scared me.”
Similar weather conditions can be seen throughout the United States, with Texas being hit hardest. Olivia Philson (11) expresses her concern for her home state. “I can’t imagine what people are going through,” she says,” I’m praying for everyone affected.” Texas has experienced record lows and blackouts due to the freaky weather. Deemed the “polar vortex” by many, the strange weather each state experiences seems to have one thing in common; the cold.
In Colorado, the weather has also been abnormal. With weather recently reaching negative temperatures, scientists are concerned. “Because of just that change in the temperature gradient, we should expect cold extremes like this to become less frequent,” said Isla Simpson, a scientist in the climate and global dynamics laboratory at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder.
For CT’s students, the frigid temperatures have not been their best experience. “I take the bus every morning around 7:30,” Payton Lourenco (9) said, “Standing in the cold while I wait for my bus is not a good way to start the day.” For many underclassmen such as Lourenco, this weekly routine of bearing the cold to get to school is torture. “Honestly, it’s ridiculous,” Matt Han (9) said, “This weather has made mornings dreadful.”
Many may be concerned about the intense weather in most of the United States, but at the same time, many are excited. “I recently went to California, and I was there for a little bit of snowfall,” Kayla Brown (10) said,” It was the coolest experience ever.” While many might not remember this chilly season, California will never forget its snow on the beach.