The morning and afternoon of a single day can often seem like
two completely different days, thanks to the rapid weather
fluctuations that characterize the Southern California climate. But
the potential physical and psychological effects of the rapid
changes on student health are more important than the confusion
weather fluctuations can cause when deciding what to wear.
Rapid weather changes can cause a sudden spike in air pollution
concentration, which could have harmful short- and long-term
effects on health, said Nicolas Gruber, associate professor of
atmospheric and oceanic sciences.
Gruber said pollutants are usually emitted at the ground level
““ for example, from the tailpipes of cars ““ and the
air-pollution concentration is determined by how far these
pollutants travel from their sources.
In an inversion situation, where heavy, colder air is close to
the ground and warm air is higher up, the volume of air into which
pollutants can disperse is reduced. This creates higher
concentrations close to the ground, where people are in danger of
inhaling toxic amounts of pollutants such as ozone and carbon
monoxide.
Gruber said that with the Los Angeles basin being shaped like a
bowl, an inversion situation makes it seem as if a lid has been put
onto the area, trapping the pollutants close to the ground.
The weather fluctuations in the area have a very direct and
strong impact on pollution, he said.
“Any weather situation which traps the air, plus add a lot
of sunshine, gives rise to ozone levels,” Gruber said.
“Ozone essentially is a very strong reactant and it starts to
make, for instance, your eyes irritated. It can irritate the nose,
it can irritate the lungs and cause people, asthmatic or old
people, to develop breathing problems.”
Gruber said moving to Los Angeles from climates with lesser
ozone problems can cause health problems as well.
Moving between climates can also affect students
psychologically.
Evan Shulman, a second-year psychology student from Potomac,
Md., said the typically sunny California weather makes his spirits
higher.
“I don’t know if I actually am, but I feel more
healthy here,” he said.
Shulman said waking up to gray skies and cold weather back home
in Maryland would get his spirits down from the start. He said a
typical winter outfit would include jeans, a T-shirt, a
long-sleeved shirt, a sweater and a heavier jacket on top, along
with boots, gloves and a scarf.
Not having to wear so many layers or wake up to gray skies every
morning is a big reason he came to UCLA, he said.
The sunny weather have both positive and negative academic
effects, Shulman said ““ it can either inspire students to do
more work because they feel better or encourage them to neglect
their work to go outside and have fun.
Getting sick less and walking out of fall-quarter finals into
70-degree weather are benefits of living here, he added.
Still, Shulman said he finds himself missing Maryland, where
“fall is fall, winter is winter,” as opposed to the
constant Los Angeles sunshine.
“I was excited to go home (for Thanksgiving). I miss
bundling up and stuff,” he said.
Whether it’s warm or raining outside, all throughout the
academic year the Arthur Ashe and Wellness Center sees 500 to 600
patients a day, said Shelly Pearson, the center’s director of
ancillary services.
Pearson said immunizations for the flu usually begin in
November, while patients with allergies tend to come in for
treatment more often in the spring.
Ed Wiesmeier, director of the Ashe Center, advises students to
visit the center even if they may be feeling uncomfortable about
sharing their medical worries.
“We do everything we can to make (patients) comfortable,
to try and educate them about themselves and their body,” he
said.