Big storms usher in rain and lightning, but they could also bring unexpected health problems. “Thunderstorm asthma” attacks can worsen pollen allergies and exacerbate respiratory conditions, experts are warning.
Generally, “rain tends to lower pollen counts by cleansing the air,” said Dr. Robert Shmerling at Harvard Health Publishing. But thunderstorms cause cold downdrafts that “concentrate air particles, such as pollen and mold.” These are “swept up into clouds where humidity is high,” and “wind, humidity and lightning break up the particles to a size that can readily enter the nose, sinuses and lungs.” Strong gusts of wind then disperse the pollen and mold.
The people most likely to experience thunderstorm asthma are those with pollen allergies, hay fever (rhinitis) and pre-existing asthma. Adults in their 20s and 30s appear most susceptible, along with older children. There may also be a “significantly increased risk among individuals of Asian and Indian descent,” Constance Katelaris said at InSight+, citing data from the “largest and deadliest episode of thunderstorm asthma recorded to date,” in Melbourne in 2016.
While thunderstorm asthma “may seem like more of a curiosity than a serious threat,” when it “affects a large population area, emergency rooms can become overwhelmed,” said Shmerling. During the Melbourne episode, more than 3,400 people experienced severe asthma symptoms and 10 died.
Cases of thunderstorm asthma are likely to increase due to climate change. Warming temperatures can lead to “prolonged allergenic pollen seasons combined with increased pollen allergenicity, as well as heightened likelihood of extreme weather events,” said a review published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice. |
