People who are allergic to outdoor mold or pollen are well aware of the role the weather and the seasons play in their symptoms. Allergens such as mold spores and ragweed pollen travel in the air. People with allergic sensitivities need only breathe the air to develop hay fever or allergic rhinitis. By keeping an eye on the weather and seasonal conditions, those with allergies can try to manage their symptoms.
Indoor Environments
Bad weather sends people indoors, where they are subject to indoor air quality that may be tainted by allergens. Indoor use of HEPA filters on air conditioners, room air cleaners and vacuum cleaners can help to reduce the allergen content of indoor air.
Outdooor Environments
Grass, tree and weed pollens travel the farthest and remain airborne the longest on days that are dry, hot and windy, according to the National Institutes of Health. Sunny days in the spring can produce high tree pollen counts, with grass in summer and ragweed in fall releasing large amounts of pollen. Certain molds also release spores that cause allergic reactions under these conditions. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America suggests that those with allergies stay inside when airborne allergen counts are high.
The foundation also says that rain and morning temperatures below 50 degrees slow pollen release and curtail long-distance travel by these allergenic particles.
Misconceptions
An air-clearing rain isn't the only climatic solution to outdoor allergies, because many molds reproduce in humid air. It may, however, reduce the incidence of insect sting allergies, as flying insects usually take shelter when it rains.
Considerations
The weather changes over the course of a day, with temperatures rising and falling and wind patterns shifting. The NIH reports that in general pollen counts peak between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m.
Seasonal changes can also provoke or put an end to allergic reactions. For instance, springtime warmth initiates hay fever from tree pollination, and killing frosts put outdoor allergies to mold on hiatus.
Prevention
As much as possible, those with hay fever should plan their outdoor activities when their exposure to allergens is limited. The AAFA suggests gardening on cool, cloudy days. To avoid transferring the agents of outdoor allergies that accumulate on clothes and hair to indoor environments, those with allergies should shower and change clothing when they go back inside.
