A heat wave has struck The University of Central Missouri, right in time for the start of the Fall 2023 semester. The above-average high temperatures caused difficulties for students across campus as dining halls shut down, cars heated up and many students searched for a way out of the increasing heat.
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Soeun Lee, junior, throws water balloons while Suyeon Kim, senior, looks on. The water balloon fight was held on the East Field and was organized by MO’s Activities Council. Photo by Mingzhu Zhu
Photo by Mingzhu'
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Christian Mathews, sophomore, mid-throw during the water balloon fight. While a water balloon fight is one way to stay cool during high temperatures, other students limited their time outside, drank more water and participated in indoor activities.
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Masters students, Boluwatife Temileyi Oniosun and Esosa Imarenakhue Akele, participate in the water balloon fight on Aug. 30. With temperatures reaching their peak during August, a water balloon fight was a way to stay cool while outdoors.
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Colton Robbins, UCM student, said, “Usually I like to spend my time outside but I can’t really because it’s so hot. I usually have to go inside and try to find people to hang out with. I like nature and I like to run so you know, it’s not really that fun.”
Starting Aug. 19, the National Weather Service recorded well-above-normal temperatures within the central part of the United States, with the Kansas City International Airport reaching high temperatures not recorded in the area since August of 2012.
According to the National Weather Service, the combination of the extreme heat and the excessively high dew points led to heat indices from Aug. 19 through Aug. 25 to rise to 120-130 degrees. The heat index is what the temperature feels like to the human body when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature, making it an important consideration for students attending classes and participating in outside activities.
Locally, the heat affected the dining hall in Todd Hall. According to UCM Dining Services, due to heat-related issues, Todd Dining Services were temporarily closed after breakfast Aug. 24 and moved to Elliott Student Union, Room 240. Food service was limited to a deli bar only and were available through students’ dining center meal plans. Then, the regular dining services and hours for Todd Dining Hall resumed Aug. 26 as temperatures cooled.
Students Julian Fletcher and Oliver Kellerman certainly felt disrupted by the heat stating, “Well Todd’s been closed so we had to go to Ellis, that’s one big thing.”
Long-term Warrensburg residents agree with many that this has been a summer to remember.
Computer Science and Mathematics major and Warrensburg native Jackson Mailen expressed that the heat was “Probably one of the worst summers ever in Warrensburg.”
Mailen believes walking between classes and car heat was challenging.
“I tend to stick to more shade areas covered in trees or if that’s not possible, I try my best to see if there’s any buildings I can cut through in order to be in an air-conditioned area a little more,” Mailen said.
A Warrensburg local, Mailen commutes to school from home. However, when entering his car on Aug. 24 he discovered that his dashboard was a warm 111 degrees Fahrenheit.
“It is completely unbearable. I could barely tolerate being in the car,” Mailen said.
