By Gavin Bowyer and Keira De Vita
The fall to spring season this 2023/2024 year has been… intense — to say the least. Storms have ravaged the whole country, especially along the East and West coasts. At this point, nobody is surprised when it turns out that Texas is 12 feet deep in snow — slightly exaggerated but you get the point- and that hurricane-type winds and rains hit everywhere. However, to the great surprise of Californians and the rest, this “Rainy Season” actually brought excessive rains and winds unseen in the past few years. Instead of the normal wildfires started by some wild sex reveal or boys being boys with Dry Ice Bombs — YES, these are a thing. NO, you should not make these — there have been heavy rainstorms and massive wind gusts knocking out power across the state. From a 70-MILE stretch of I80 being blocked up in the snow to tornado warnings IN FREAKING SAN DIEGO to an ancient lake reforming in DEATH VALLEY, we truly have seen it all.
Beginning in early 2023, multiple storms brought with them impeccably strong winds that completely devastated many communities, especially local to us at Westmont, taking out power and discouraging adventures outside. These powerful storms were greatly accepted among the student body as they granted us all an amazing opportunity to rest and have fun, breaking our normal routine for an exceptional day off. Unfortunately, these downpours also caused problems for many, with mudslides and general travel struggles preventing grocery shopping, access to work, and other issues. These storms ultimately opened Californians’ eyes, making us all realize that we desperately needed to work on our disaster system, else face difficult times when unexpected situations occur.
This brings us to today where the troubling gales have only continued to increase their power — in some cases exceeding 50 mph winds — creating dangerous areas when it comes to walking about. As our monsoon-like winds drifted south towards LA and San Diego, the dilemma soon became irrelevant to Bay Area residents, whereas South California was facing Nature’s Wrath. The populace of California’s southern cities bore witness as wind tunnels began to form, resembling tornadoes that triggered the unexpected sirens of a tornado watch. Tornadoes, which always dissipate before California due to the Andes Mountains, are never a threat to us coastal goers, making this event a great shock to everyone. In spite of the seemingly dire situation, the almighty Pacific Ocean blessed us with its magnificent cooling patterns, swiftly dissipating any possible tornado formations. Nonetheless, these tropical storms, compared to standard hurricanes, were of extreme resemblance, meaning California faced a semi-hurricane.