Sunny San Diego gets rainy

Torrential rain hits San Diego, leaving students wondering if it is just a seasonal storm

Emma Goodman-Fish / Asst. Feature Editor / The USD Vista

Students dash from building to building, backpacks and jackets over their heads, attempting to block the blustering wind and pouring rain. This is an image you might expect to see at campuses in the Pacific Northwest, but not at the University of San Diego. 

Jack Cleary, a USD junior and San Diego native, echoed this sentiment.

“It is very abnormal weather for San Diego,” Cleary said. “Everything from our roads to our lifestyle is designed for sunny weather.” 

This unusual weather was noticed by all students, especially those who have grown up in the typical San Diego climate. 

The excessive rain has made a clear impact not only on the roads of San Diego, but also the day-to-day lives of people, particularly USD commuter students. Cleary shared that his commute to school each day has been heavily impacted by the recent rain. 

“Not only are our roads littered with potholes, but they were not made for the rain,” Cleary said. “They do not drain properly.” 

This has been a big problem for commuters driving to campus each day, dealing with both floods in the middle of the roads and now with the potholes that cause further car problems and accidents. Massive puddles also cause accidents, and create what Cleary referred to as “the worst traffic we see all year.”

Rain not only causes physical damage to the roads but also creates the perfect setting for car accidents, as San Diego drivers are not used to or prepared for driving in such conditions. 

“On (my) drive home from work up in Scripps Ranch, there was terrible traffic on the freeway due to a car accident caused by the rain,” Cleary said. “(It) took me almost an hour to get home, (although it) usually takes me about 15 minutes.” 

Cleary is just one example of the commuter students who have expressed clear frustration over the difficulties they are facing when driving to school each day, as well as driving to their jobs or daily involvements. Other students note that the commute is longer because everyone is driving slower for safety since no one is conditioned for this weather. Not only has the rain impacted how to get places, it has impacted where people can go, a sentiment similarly communicated by USD junior and commuter Arby Jackob. 

“We’re so used to being able to go to the beach whenever and hike and do whatever outdoor activities we wanted at any time,” Jackob said. “The rain has definitely put a damper on that.”

The community as a whole and its culture have been heavily impacted by the rain in the limits it puts on activities commonly enjoyed by San Diegans. USD students are used to being able to engage in the activities that are a part of the San Diego lifestyle, yet the rain changes this culture. 

USD junior Erin Scott expressed disappointment in the recent rain.

“I really like to run along the boardwalk but I haven’t gotten out as much since it’s been really rainy and windy,” Scott said. “I also feel like so much of the things we do here in San Diego are outside, whether it is going to farmers’ markets, the beach, Sunset Cliffs.”

Not just commuter students, but all students who attend USD are impacted by the limited activities available in the rain. Many students moved to San Diego particularly for the sunshine and all the opportunities it offers, and are frustrated with the constant rain and cold. 

“I can’t wait for it to be warm enough to take more advantage of living down here,” Scott said. 

Scott, who is originally from Washington state, is used to the rain, but admits that living in San Diego has weakened her tolerance for wet weather. 

“Since moving to San Diego I have become so much more of a wimp,” Scott said. “I really don’t like the rain.” 

Many USD students also share her feelings and dislike of rain in general. Despite widespread acknowledgment that California’s dry climate is in dire need of moisture, many believe that rain is primarily a nuisance in the lives of San Diegans.  

The rain is clearly not welcome in San Diego. However, it may be here to stay. 

“I read a recent article which discussed how California is supposed to get hit with a nasty two-week storm that is of biblical proportions,” Cleary shared, referencing a Feb. 18 Los Angeles Times article.

While the sunny weather forecast for this week certainly doesn’t indicate an apocalyptic mega-storm, the sheer amount of rain that has recently descended upon USD is undoubtedly strange and a point of campus conversation.