Weather Changes: Hot or Cold?

Maya Hardin

Drastic changes in weather have become a part of our society. With climate change and global warming, you never truly know what to expect. One day it’s 104 and sunny and the next it’s 81 and cloudy. One hour it’s 72 and the next it’s 102. This brings up the question: Why is the weather changing?

We are nearing the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. The leaves are changing color, the weather is getting colder, but exactly how cold will it get? According to the Almanac the average weather in September is about 70 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas the weather in October is about 65 degrees Fahrenheit. The average temperature in October never drops below 61 and never goes above 83, but along with these typical conditions there is still the matter of sunlight and/or sun exposure.

As we saw in the week of September 2022, heat waves can come out of nowhere. Although it did start cooling down on Wednesday (September 7) and Thursday (September 8) that was still an exceptionally hot week in San Jose. “San Jose hit 109 degrees Tuesday — also breaking its all-time record high temperature set in 2017 (108 degrees),” says Jakob Rodgers, a reporter for The Mercury News. “We have clear evidence we’re now in a climate where these kinds of severe heat events are more frequent, and the odds of unprecedented events are more likely as a result of the global warming that’s already happening.” According to the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), global temperatures have risen an average of 0.14 degrees Fahrenheit per decade since 1880. 2022 has been the sixth warmest year on record from January through August, with 2016 still on top. The average temperature globally is about 1.55 degrees higher than the 20th century average.

In view of these high temperatures, many people prefer the cold weather rather than the heat. An anonymous fellow Leigh High School student agrees with this opinion. They explain, “I find it easier to deal with, like you can always layer on clothes and take them off if needed.” However, others enjoy this new heat we are experiencing. Saaya Kurian, says, “Probably [because] it feels like a peaceful, happy, fun, non-stressful season to me.” Overall, despite these weather changes we still have to enjoy our everyday lives. Go to school, take part in after-school activities, hang out with friends, etc. So what about you? Do you prefer the hot or the cold?