Warm Winter is Bad News for Allergies

Filed in archive Hay Fever , Living with Allergies on January 9, 2007

I've been exchanging emails with friends from across the Atlantic adn we've come to the same conclusion: the global weather is just going nuts. It's up to 20 degrees warmer than usual for a lot of us in the northern hemisphere and those in Australia and New Zealand are perplexed by an unusually cold summer season.

And though I personally prefer warmer temperatures, this crazy weather is affecting not just the economy (particularly the fashion industry), but have also been causing avalanches and for us with pollen allergies or hay fever, it's a mess.

"It's an explosion of people who are realizing that they may have allergies," said Bassett. "Typically, January and February are quiet times in most allergists' offices."

Mold spores that grow outdoors would normally die off during a cold snap or be covered with snow. But in warm weather mold spores continue to grow and spread. Throwing open the windows to enjoy the weather makes things worse: The mold spores waltz inside.

How are you faring? Are you affected by the unusual weather?