San Joaquin Valley

UC Merced Climate Experts Explain Why March Heat Wave is Dangerous

March 17, 2026

Depicted is the sun in an orange sky framed by palm leaves.

Temperatures in the 90s are nothing new to the northern San Joaquin Valley. But having them in March, as expected this week, is unusual and potentially dangerous. An exceptionally strong ridge of high pressure will bring record-breaking heat to the entire region, the National Weather Service...

Breyenne Pierce, a utility player on the water polo team, demonstrates her skills.

For Turlock High Grad, UC Merced is Just Far Enough from Home

Breyenne Pierce wasn't sure UC Merced was for her. The Turlock High graduate had followed her passion for water polo to Sierra College in Rocklin. As she was concluding her community college...

From the Valley, for the Valley: New SJV PRIME+ Students Embark on Journey to Transform Health Care

The stethoscopes may come later, but the commitment to community was clear as UC Merced welcomed its newest SJV PRIME+ students last weekend. The Student and Family Welcome event marked the beginning...

The Central Valley is a major contributor to a growing dust problem, in large part because of agriculture, researchers say.

Study Indicates Human-caused Dust Events are Linked to Fallow Farmland

An average of more than 1 million acres of idled farmland a year is a significant contributor to a growing dust problem in California that has implications for millions of residents’ health and...

Professor Michele Nishiguchi talks to a group of Plainsburg Elementary School students at a science outreach event.

Research Team Focuses on the Next Generations of Scientists

The Biology Integration Institute (BII): The Institute for Symbiotic Interactions, Training and Education in the Face of a Changing Climate, or INSITE, stands out because it is supported by $12.5...

UC Merced-led WE Will! Awards $14.2 Million to Education, Health Partners

UC Merced-led WE Will! Workforce and Education Collaborative has awarded an additional $4.2 million to education and healthcare partners in Merced, Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties. A total of...

Public Health Grad Student Selected for Prestigious Award

Second-year public health Ph.D. student Sarina Rodriguez was named as a Health Policy Research Scholar by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The HPRS program supports doctoral students from...

air quality and health conference uc merced

Valley Air Quality, Public Health the Focus of UC Merced Conference

Scientists, policymakers and concerned community members will gather at UC Merced this week to compare notes and chart new directions to improve air quality and public health in the San Joaquin...

UC Merced Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz is shown speaking to academy attendees.

1300 Campaign Students Hosted at UC Merced Academy

Dozens of high school students stepped off buses at UC Merced on a toasty Monday last summer, coming from Stockton, Modesto and Merced to spend a few days exploring college opportunities. They...

Photo depicts concrete supports lining a canal in Keyes, California.

Solar Canal Project Earns Environmental Award as Construction Begins

Construction has begun on a pilot project to install solar panels above two sections of Central Valley canals. This innovative initiative, which studies significant power and water issues, has...