Rain closes out fall semester

By Jimmy Chai, On-Line Forty-Niner

Thursday, December 3, 1998

"Blame it on the rain," the supposed Milli Vanilli song, can be the theme for the beginning of the rainy season and, coincidentally, the end of the semester.

As the semester closes with what seems to be lightning speed, the rain may provide a distraction to the pressure of finals.

But be warned, it comes at a price.

Early morning traffic jams, slippery walkways and contaminated ocean water from the basin's runoff can put a damper on one's day.

But luckily, said Dr. Richard Behl, assistant professor in the Cal State Long Beach geological sciences department, the Southland has been experiencing lower than normal rainfall due to the effects of La Niña, which is the fluctuation of water temperature in the Pacific Ocean.

Leaving early for school and listening to radio traffic reports can help with traffic on rainy days, said Tricia Robinson, a speech communications student who lives in Burbank.

"Avoid water contact at river mouths, lagoon openings, flowing storm drains and the like [for] at least 72 hours after the rain," said Tuesday's Surfrider Water Quality Report. "Polluted runoff is likely present in coastal waters countywide."

On campus, there were no reports of major flooding on Tuesday, but some buildings had leaks, said Robert Quirk, director of facilities management.