Read more about how weather impacts allergies, the seasons you’re most at risk, and how to treat those symptoms.
Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin
How Weather Can Affect Your Allergies
Allergic reactions occur when your immune system reacts to an allergen—anything your body identifies as “foreign.”
Allergy symptoms can be similar to symptoms from other conditions, such as the common cold. These symptoms are often worse if you also haveasthma.
Weather Allergy SymptomsAllergy symptoms can include:Runny noseStuffy noseItchy eyesWatery eyesItchy skinSneezingCoughingFatigueWheezingDry, scaly skin
Weather Allergy Symptoms
Allergy symptoms can include:Runny noseStuffy noseItchy eyesWatery eyesItchy skinSneezingCoughingFatigueWheezingDry, scaly skin
Allergy symptoms can include:
How Do You Know If You Have Allergies?
Events That Can Affect Weather-Related Allergies
Different types of weather can cause differenttypes of allergy symptoms.
Dry, Windy Days
Dry, windy days can cause allergy symptoms to spike.Wind plays a big role in pollen levels, and pollen is a very common allergen. If you’ve ever woken up to find yellow dust covering your car, you know what pollen looks like.
This fine, dust-like substance helps fertilize plants. It is very lightweight, and is easily picked up and carried through the air when it’s dry and windy. The allergen is then in the air you breathe, in very large amounts.
Mold is another source of allergy symptoms on dry, windy days.Molds and fungi are very common outdoors, and wind can pick up their spores (seeds) and spread them around.
Humid, Rainy Days
Allergy symptoms can also be worse on humid, rainy days. Although mold spores often spread through wind, some types of mold spread when humidity is higher.Spores from these types of mold travel through fog or dew.
Humid, rainy days can sometimes be beneficial for people with pollen allergies. When pollen gets wet, it becomes heavier, making it more likely to stay on the ground rather than in the air where you might breathe it in.
However, rain can sometimes have the opposite effect on pollen. When heavy rain is falling, pollen particles can actually explode and create tinier allergenic particles that can be more easily inhaled.This often happens during a thunderstorm.
Cold Temperature Days
Some people with cold urticaria can developlife-threatening anaphylaxiswhen they are exposed to cold—for example, when swimming in a cold ocean during winter. Because of this risk, an epinephrine auto-injector can be prescribed for treatment.
Symptoms can include:
Cold urticaria can be “outgrown,” or it could last a lifetime. Symptoms resolve within five years for about 50% of people who get this condition.
Cold urticaria can often be treated with medications calledantihistamines, which block allergy symptoms. In more severe cases, you might need prescription medication.
Warm Temperature Days
Warmer temperatures can also increase your exposure to allergens, such as pollen.Warmer air carries more pollen particles, which means you’re more likely to breathe them in.
Seasonal Weather Allergies
Weather-related allergies are often called “seasonal allergies” because different seasons cause certain allergies to get worse.
Spring
In most of the United States,spring allergiestypically start in February and end in the beginning of summer. This is due to plant pollination cycles.
Large amounts ofpollenfrom grasses and trees are present in the spring when temperatures are cooler at night and warmer during the day.Pollen levels are highest in the evenings during the spring season.
Summer
Pollen season for grass and trees continues into the summer. Pollen levels are highest in the evenings in the beginning of summer.
Ragweed pollen season (which can trigger “hay fever”) hits later in the summer, with higher pollen levels in the mornings.
Fall
Less plant allergens are present in the air when fall hits, butragweed pollen seasoncontinues into early fall. Mold can also be present in damp areas, such as near piles of dead leaves.
Winter
Other than cold urticaria, most weather-related allergies do not occur in very cold temperatures. Many plants are dead, and outdoor mold is dormant until spring weather hits.
Ways to Manage Your Weather-Related Allergy SymptomsWhile you can’t prevent allergies or control the weather, you can take steps to help manage your symptoms. Whenever possible, avoid exposure to your allergens. Check your local news for daily pollen counts, and schedule outdoor activities when levels are lower. Monitor the weather to keep track of triggers, such as rain or wind. Wear a mask when working outdoors, and wash your clothes once you get back inside.
Ways to Manage Your Weather-Related Allergy Symptoms
While you can’t prevent allergies or control the weather, you can take steps to help manage your symptoms. Whenever possible, avoid exposure to your allergens. Check your local news for daily pollen counts, and schedule outdoor activities when levels are lower. Monitor the weather to keep track of triggers, such as rain or wind. Wear a mask when working outdoors, and wash your clothes once you get back inside.
Treatments
Weather-related allergy symptoms can often be managed with over-the-counter medications, such as antihistamines, decongestants, nose sprays, and creams.
Antihistamines block the chemicals in your immune system that are causing an allergic reaction. Decongestants decrease swelling in your nose and sinuses to make breathing easier.
Nasal sprays are also very effective for treating runny, itchy nose symptoms. Skin creams can temporarily reduce itching and pain from allergy-relatedrashes. However, prescription medications such as topical or oral steroids might be required to treat more severe allergies.
In some cases, immunotherapy can be used to treat allergies. During immunotherapy, a small amount of your allergen is introduced to your body through a shot or a pill that dissolves under your tongue. Over time, your body learns not to overreact to the substance that is causing your symptoms.
Do Allergy Shots Really Work?
A Word From Verywell
While weather-related allergy symptoms can be annoying, they aren’t usually life-threatening. See your doctor to discuss medications and home remedies that can help improve your quality of life during allergy season.
Frequently Asked QuestionsWatching the weather forecast can help you plan outdoor activities to minimize your symptoms.The length of symptoms for seasonal allergies depends on your specific allergen. Allergy symptoms often fluctuate with changes in season.Thebest location for you to live with allergiesdepends on your allergens. For example, if you’re allergic to cold weather, environments that are warm year-round can help decrease your symptoms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Watching the weather forecast can help you plan outdoor activities to minimize your symptoms.
The length of symptoms for seasonal allergies depends on your specific allergen. Allergy symptoms often fluctuate with changes in season.
Thebest location for you to live with allergiesdepends on your allergens. For example, if you’re allergic to cold weather, environments that are warm year-round can help decrease your symptoms.
Relief for Eye Allergy Symptoms
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Pollen allergies.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Pollen defined.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Mold allergy.Reinmuth-Selzle K, Kampf CJ, Lucas K, et al.Air pollution and climate change effects on allergies in the anthropocene: Abundance, interaction, and modification of allergens and adjuvants.Environ Sci Technol. 2017;51(8):4119-4141. doi:10.1021/acs.est.6b04908American Academy of Dermatology Association.Welts on skin due to cold temperature could be hives.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Climate change and health.American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Common seasonal allergy triggers.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Allergy treatments.
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Pollen allergies.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Pollen defined.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Mold allergy.Reinmuth-Selzle K, Kampf CJ, Lucas K, et al.Air pollution and climate change effects on allergies in the anthropocene: Abundance, interaction, and modification of allergens and adjuvants.Environ Sci Technol. 2017;51(8):4119-4141. doi:10.1021/acs.est.6b04908American Academy of Dermatology Association.Welts on skin due to cold temperature could be hives.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Climate change and health.American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Common seasonal allergy triggers.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Allergy treatments.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Pollen allergies.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Pollen defined.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Mold allergy.Reinmuth-Selzle K, Kampf CJ, Lucas K, et al.Air pollution and climate change effects on allergies in the anthropocene: Abundance, interaction, and modification of allergens and adjuvants.Environ Sci Technol. 2017;51(8):4119-4141. doi:10.1021/acs.est.6b04908American Academy of Dermatology Association.Welts on skin due to cold temperature could be hives.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Climate change and health.American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Common seasonal allergy triggers.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Allergy treatments.
American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Pollen allergies.
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Pollen defined.
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Mold allergy.
Reinmuth-Selzle K, Kampf CJ, Lucas K, et al.Air pollution and climate change effects on allergies in the anthropocene: Abundance, interaction, and modification of allergens and adjuvants.Environ Sci Technol. 2017;51(8):4119-4141. doi:10.1021/acs.est.6b04908
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Welts on skin due to cold temperature could be hives.
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Climate change and health.
American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Common seasonal allergy triggers.
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Allergy treatments.
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