The hottest summer South Africa has ever seen is coming, but it is not as rosy as it seems. While many students often look forward to “hot girl summer”, this upcoming summer comes with severe weather conditions that not only affect your body, environment, and energy, but also your finances. From the hottest winter to the hottest summer, the winter lovers seem out of luck this year as forecasts predict one of the strongest El Niño events in decades.
An El Niño is a natural climate pattern that happens when the surface of the ocean in the central and eastern tropical Pacific becomes warmer than usual. This natural pattern takes things from mild to hot, even for our economy. This is because an intense El Niño can drive up the cost of food and transport as droughts and extreme weather disrupt agriculture and infrastructure.
While the El Niño shows up differently across the world, it is associated with extreme conditions like droughts, heatwaves, heavy rainfall, and floods in different regions. If you are already over the heat, brace yourself, because an El Niño typically lasts for nine to twelve months. Unfortunately, it looks like it is slowly catching up with South Africa. The latest report from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction indicates a 97% probability that a super El Niño will form. This event will rank among the strongest recorded since 1950. South Africa experienced the most severe El Niño in 2015/16, which triggered the country’s worst drought in 35 years and pushed food price inflation to 18.4%. Because this is predicted to be the worst one yet, prepare for things to get expensive on campus.
How Does El Niño Affect Students?
Climate change does not discriminate, but its effects are often felt more deeply by students. If you are a student operating on a stretched, limited budget, rising prices can unfortunately make it even harder to afford daily essentials.
PDBY spoke to an anonymous student who shared, “I am already struggling with my finances; it is hard to make ends meet right now, and I do not know how I would survive if prices were to go up. As it is now, I am missing out on a lot because I do not have money, so I really hope this El Niño does not make it worse for me.”
It does not end there. Extreme heat can also make learning far more difficult, so it looks like UP air conditioners will finally work to the students' advantage because concentrating in a hot lecture hall can negatively affect memory, focus, and productivity. PDBY asked ten students if they can study effectively in heat, and while most acknowledged that they can adjust, all of them vehemently disagreed, with one saying, “I would rather just study at night when it is cooler than to suffer the heat of the weather and my books. I am not that strong.” Unfortunately, El Niño is expected to bring some of its hottest conditions during the academic year, including exam season, when students need to intensively study and perform at their best.
Tips for Surviving Extreme Heat
1. Stay hydrated. Do not drink water only when you are thirsty, but have little by little throughout the day.
2. Dress for the weather. Wear light-coloured, loose-fitting clothing made from breathable fabrics. Do not overwhelm your body with heavy material.
3. Find cool study spaces. Use the library, study centre, or air-conditioned campus buildings to study during the hottest parts of the day.
4. Eat light meals. Choose fruits, vegetables, and water-rich foods like watermelon and cucumber to stay refreshed.
5. Protect yourself from the sun. Wear a hat and sunglasses, carry an umbrella, and apply sunscreen if you will be outdoors for extended periods of time.
6. Keep your room cool. Open windows when it is cooler outside and close curtains during the day. Use a fan if you have one available.
7. Know the signs of heat exhaustion. Dizziness, headaches, nausea, excessive sweating, and fatigue are warning signs that you need to cool down and hydrate immediately.
