With plants beginning to bloom across the country, many people are preparing for allergy season. An accurate weather forecast can help allergy sufferers determine when they’ll need to rely on their favorite deterrents and medicines. Mr. MORECAST gives you the facts on what weather conditions make allergies better or worse and what to expect this season.
Although allergies can occur during any season, they are often the most extreme during spring and summer. Once temperatures are above about 60 degrees for three or more consecutive days, plants will begin to produce pollen, one of the most common allergens. In some areas, it’s a common sight in the spring to see cars and other surfaces coated in pine tree pollen, a sticky yellow dust. Some people have a reaction to pollen because their immune systems interpret pollen as an invader, like a bacteria or virus. Antibodies attack the pollen, releasing a chemical into the bloodstream which we refer to as “histamine”. This chemical is what causes a runny nose, sneezing, itchy eyes, scratchy throat, and various other symptoms of allergic rhinitis, more commonly known as hay fever.
Allergy symptoms tend to flare up as the wind increases due to pollen grains and other allergens being picked up and blown around, so the late morning and afternoon hours on a breezy day might be the prime time for symptoms. Conversely, rain tends to wash allergens like pollen away, lowering the “pollen count” (a measure reflecting the number of pollen grains suspended in a cubic meter of air) leading to suppression of allergic response on cool, wet, windless days. However, prolonged drought conditions can inhibit pollen production and reduce the allergic potential. A mild winter, such as the one enjoyed by most of the U.S. in the last few months, and/or an early onset of spring temperatures can trigger the allergy season sooner than expected. Large, rapid fluctuations in temperature can also make your immune system more sensitive and prone to the allergic reaction.
The summer and fall months feature a transition away from tree pollen and towards grass pollen, especially ragweed, as well as molds as the primary allergens. Allergens that thrive in warm, humid environments, such as molds or dust mites, peak in the summer or early fall – they tend to nest or collect in dark, undisturbed spaces. Ragweed pollen is especially pervasive because it can travel hundreds of miles carried by the wind, so it’s not even necessary to live in the presence of the plants themselves to be affected.
For some, the fall months bring a much-desired relief from allergy symptoms. However, mold allergens can experience a secondary peak as molds find a home in the clumps of dead, wet leaves common to the transition season. Dust mites that spent the summer collecting in unused heating ducts can be blown out as temperatures cool. Kids and teachers going back to school buildings little-used in the summer months may likewise react to dust mites and molds that collected there during the break.
Depend on the MORECAST app for the latest forecast details, including temperatures, rain and wind this allergy season!