Weather Conditions and Your Allergies
As the seasons change, you may wonder how different weather conditions affect your allergies. Weather.com offers an illuminating look into the role of weather in your allergy symptoms:
Wind is a big culprit in causing allergies to act up because it distributes pollen and mold. Those who suffer from hay fever or seasonal allergies are particularly affected by the wind because of the plant allergens it disburses throughout the air – as far as many miles.
Rain can be good news for allergy sufferers. While a light rain won't do much to help alleviate allergies, a heavier rain can clear the air of allergens for hours following the downpour. In spring, rains can reduce pollen counts, which is also good news for pollen allergic individuals. However, rains also cause grasses to grow, leading to more grass pollen in the late spring and early summer months. Rain in the fall and winter can also lead to greater amounts of tree pollen in the spring.
Smog, it comes as no surprise, is bad news for those with allergies or asthma. Interestingly, symptoms caused by pollution are not usually felt until one or two days after exposure. Recent research has demonstrated that ozone can cause chronic inflammation of the airways in asthma sufferers. In addition, even if acute symptoms from smog aren't apparent, some scientists believe that exposure to diesel engine exhaust can increase a person's sensitivity to pollen and dust mites.
Cold weather can exacerbate both asthma and eczema symptoms; the cold temperatures can trigger asthma attacks, and drier air can make eczema worse. Fluctuating temperatures, such as those undergone by skin that's exposed to freezing temperatures and then warmed, can also lead to cold-induced hives. The good news about cold weather, however, is that a late freeze can lessen tree pollen counts.
Heat in the form of mild winters can lead to an early spring, which means an early and longer pollen season. Mild winters are also a problem for allergy sufferers because of mold, which thrives when a combination of rain and mild weather increases spore counts. Lastly, a sudden rise in temperature can also trigger asthma attacks.
Wind is a big culprit in causing allergies to act up because it distributes pollen and mold. Those who suffer from hay fever or seasonal allergies are particularly affected by the wind because of the plant allergens it disburses throughout the air – as far as many miles.
Rain can be good news for allergy sufferers. While a light rain won't do much to help alleviate allergies, a heavier rain can clear the air of allergens for hours following the downpour. In spring, rains can reduce pollen counts, which is also good news for pollen allergic individuals. However, rains also cause grasses to grow, leading to more grass pollen in the late spring and early summer months. Rain in the fall and winter can also lead to greater amounts of tree pollen in the spring.
Smog, it comes as no surprise, is bad news for those with allergies or asthma. Interestingly, symptoms caused by pollution are not usually felt until one or two days after exposure. Recent research has demonstrated that ozone can cause chronic inflammation of the airways in asthma sufferers. In addition, even if acute symptoms from smog aren't apparent, some scientists believe that exposure to diesel engine exhaust can increase a person's sensitivity to pollen and dust mites.
Cold weather can exacerbate both asthma and eczema symptoms; the cold temperatures can trigger asthma attacks, and drier air can make eczema worse. Fluctuating temperatures, such as those undergone by skin that's exposed to freezing temperatures and then warmed, can also lead to cold-induced hives. The good news about cold weather, however, is that a late freeze can lessen tree pollen counts.
Heat in the form of mild winters can lead to an early spring, which means an early and longer pollen season. Mild winters are also a problem for allergy sufferers because of mold, which thrives when a combination of rain and mild weather increases spore counts. Lastly, a sudden rise in temperature can also trigger asthma attacks.
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