Allergies in the wind: Storms stir up pollen, mold

[Guest guest]

This may help to explain why a good portion of us feel sick just

before a storm.

Allergies in the wind: Storms stir up pollen, mold

The Courier

http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2007/04/04/features/lifestyles//do

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Allergy sufferers may feel a little under the weather, and they can

blame the weather. Thunderstorms early this week stirred the

allergen pot, experts say.

When a thunderstorm rolls through, the winds stir up both mold

spores and tiny particles released by pollen grains. It starts while

the sun is still shining, says Dr. Weber, an allergy

specialist with the National Jewish Medical and Research Center in

Denver. " It has to do with updrafts that often precede

thunderstorms. They cause mold spore counts to go up astronomically,

100 times higher than normal. "

As the storm passes through, winds also disrupt the grass pollen

grains on the ground, causing them to release tiny particles —

particles that are 1,000 times smaller than the pollen grains, says

Weber. " The particles don't show up on any pollen count. But a wave

of cold air will sweep the stuff off the ground — blow it just high

enough to hit people in the face. " Because the particles are so

tiny, they are inhaled deeply into the lungs causing serious

problems, he explains.

One thunderstorm can cause " a double-whammy before the storm rolls

through, then afterward, " Weber says. " Those fine particles can be

very irritating. "