Historic Storms Impact Students’ Return to Campus
As atmospheric rivers rage on in the Bay Area, Santa Clara commuter students may struggle with their travel to campus
On Jan. 3, Campus Safety Services and the Emergency Planning department issued Bronco Alerts warning students about the extreme weather amid regional flood watches and warnings that included much of the Bay Area.
Students at both the Santa Clara and Berkeley campuses of Santa Clara University were warned about potential flooding and high winds as the winter quarter began. Recipients of the alerts were encouraged to take extra precautions in case of power outages or difficult traffic conditions.
The Director of the Center for Student Involvement, Tedd Vanadilok, said that faculty and staff want to promote and ensure student safety, as students experience different traffic conditions depending on living arrangements. He encouraged the Santa Clara community to rely on Bronco Alerts for details about the storm’s impact on campus and for resources available to support individuals in cases of extreme weather.
“The weather’s impact on commuter students is different than resident students,” said Vanadilok. “Regardless of whether it's a five mile drive or a fifty mile drive, it's daunting to be on the road.”
The Commuter Student Union Director of Operations and Logistics, sophomore Arman Zhumabayev, expressed concern after receiving the alerts, saying that this is the first time his drive has been compromised by extreme weather.
“I was afraid of the worsening weather conditions, and I was worried that my commute to class would be more difficult,” said Zhumabayev. “It's not a huge hassle to drive, but the flooding has already affected my commute, causing one road to be closed.”
Sophomore Vani Aggarwal, who directs Community Outreach for the Commuter Student Union, expressed concern over her commute as well.
“I have been obsessing over the weather app, constantly checking what time the rain will start or end,” said Aggarwal. “The high wind warning alert and flood watch made me especially concerned about both getting to my classes on time and safely reaching campus.”
The wet weather comes after days of rain in California from Pacific storms that knocked out power to thousands, flooded streets, battered the coastline and caused at least six deaths last week.
The National Weather Service warned of a “relentless parade of atmospheric rivers" – storms that are long plumes of moisture stretching out into the Pacific capable of dropping staggering amounts of rain and snow.
The Jan. 8 atmospheric river caused thunderstorms, snow and winds in the northern part of California. This was preceded by numerous storms and has caused road flooding, rising rivers and mudslides on soils already saturated after days of rain.
In response to the recent traffic conditions brought on by the storms, the California Department of Transportation warned residents across the state to proceed with caution when driving.
“With the severe nature of this storm, Caltrans is asking all drivers to limit nonessential travel until the peak of the storm has passed,” the department said in a statement.
Zhumabayez and Aggarwal offered advice to fellow commuter students, encouraging extra precautions to stay safe while traveling to campus.
“Even if you're late, it's not worth it to go so fast that you lose control of your vehicle,” said Aggarwal. “For the commuters who take public transportation, I would recommend making sure that there's some alternate way to get to campus and back in case the trains or buses are blocked.”
“If you do need to drive to class, then follow all traffic laws to minimize the likelihood of an accident,” Zhumabayez advised, urging students to adhere to Caltrans and Campus Safety Services’ precautionary suggestions.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.