Most people don’t worry about thunderstorms, but if you’re a person with bad allergies or asthma, stormy weather can be more than an annoyance — it can be a serious threat to your health. “Thunderstorm asthma” describes an attack of asthma that starts because of a unique sequence of events. Cold downdrafts concentrate air particles, such as pollen and mold. These air particles are swept up into clouds where humidity is high. In the clouds, wind, humidity and lightning break up the particles to a size that can easily enter the nose, sinuses and lungs. Finally, wind gusts concentrate these small particles enabling large amounts to be inhaled. Thunderstorm asthma may seem like more of a curiosity than a serious threat to public health, but when it affects a large population area, emergency rooms can become overwhelmed. In 2016, a thunderstorm in Melbourne, Australia, sent 9,000 people to urgent care centers for treatment. In the US, 25 million people have asthma and more than 20 million have seasonal allergies. If you're among them, the weather forecast may be much more than just a guide on what to wear or whether to bring an umbrella. Knowing thunderstorms are headed your way may serve as an advance warning to make sure that you're taking your asthma medicines properly, have a supply of rescue medicine handy, or simply plan to stay indoors until the storm has passed.
