Heavy rains combined with high temperatures this summer could lead to an especially severe fall allergy season for those living in the Northeast, experts say.
Ragweed, which produces pollen from mid-August to mid-September, is a major contributor to fall allergies. Plenty of water and sunlight in the summer can be a boon to ragweed growth and therefore increase pollen levels when the plant blooms in the fall, said Dr. Warren Filley, an allergist and clinical professor of medicine at the Medical Center of the University of Oklahoma.
Additionally, high humidity levels are ideal for the growth of mold, another allergen.
“In places where they've had enough moisture, you'd expect them to see good to severe [allergy] season, or an important season,” Filley said.
Dr. Todd Rambasek, an allergist at ENT & Allergy Health Services in Ohio, agreed. Warmer temperatures and more precipitation in the summer “will generally predict higher allergen levels in the fall,” Rambasek said.
However, in other parts of the country, including the Midwest and Southwest, allergy season will likely be normal, Filley said. In these areas, there was a severe drought.
“It's all about what's going on in your own microclimate,” Filley said. “And with the United States being such a huge country, it's hard to extrapolate across the country.”
Will allergy season be longer?
Ragweed blooms based on the length of daylight. So in late summer and early fall, the plant senses it's time to spread its pollen, Filley said. But if frost occurs, it can kill the plant, Filley said.
This year's fall allergy season may last longer than usual because for the past 15 years, the first frost of the year has come several weeks later than usual, particularly in states further north and in Canada, he said.
“In recent years there seems to be [a] longer season for ragweed,” Filley said.
But other factors affect the growing season for ragweed. For example, flooding can disrupt ragweed because the plant likes to grow near river banks, Filley said. Parts of the Northeast saw extensive flooding after Hurricane Irene.
Bad everywhere?
Throughout the Northeast, the severity of fall allergies will vary. Dr. David J. Shulan, of Certified Allergy & Asthma Consultants in Albany, New York, said he hasn't noticed any change in ragweed pollen levels in his area in recent years. In fact, the era of ambrosia is coming to an end.
However, Shulan agreed that mold and dust mite allergies, which love damp areas, could “definitely be worse” this year. He noted that this area has seen 18 to 19 inches more rain than average this year.
Dust covers can be helpful for those with dust allergies, Shulan said. Air filters can also help with mold and pollen allergies, Rambasek said. Rambasek also recommended exercising in the morning, when pollen levels are lower.
Give it: Fall allergies can be especially bad this year for those living in the Northeast.
This story was provided by MyHealthNewsDaily, a sister site of LiveScience. Follow MyHealthNewsDaily staff writer Rachael Rettner on Twitter @RachaelRettner. Find us on Facebook.
