Sneezing, runny nose, itching and watery eyes since March? If you think your seasonal allergy “knocked on the door” earlier this year, you’re not alone, as researchers share exactly the same suspicion.

Climate change is also affecting seasonal flu, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Climate Central, a non-profit organization of scientists and advocates that research and document climate change, released a report last Wednesday titled Seasonal Allergies: Pollen and Mold, which says:

“More and more research shows that rising temperatures, shifting seasonal patterns, and increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide—all linked to climate change and greenhouse gas emissions—are affecting the duration and intensity of allergy seasonality in the US.”

Meteorologist Lauren Casey of Climate Central explained that winters are getting shorter and growing seasons longer due to the climate crisis.

“This causes plants to produce allergens and pollinate earlier than usual,” Cassie says, noting that allergy sufferers feel this discomfort weeks and even months earlier than in previous years.

asthma storm

The US report also found a link between storms and asthma cases. “Some studies have shown an association between storms and asthma attacks or asthma-related hospitalizations, a phenomenon known as ‘storm asthma’,” the report says.

Although research is still in its early stages, experts believe that the dispersal of pollen and mold in the atmosphere after a storm plays an important role.

“Storms bring changes in pressure and wind that break pollen and mold into smaller particles, carrying them through the air. “Studies have shown that high concentrations of pollen and mold after hurricanes are associated with increased asthma symptoms and hospitalization,” the study notes.

But as researchers are still studying this new phenomenon, it’s hard to predict who might be affected by “storm asthma.”

However, meteorologist Lauren Cassie recommends that allergy sufferers buy good air conditioner filters and limit their outdoor movements when seasonal allergies are at their peak.

“In addition to what anyone can do to protect themselves, we must not forget that reducing carbon emissions is the only way to limit, in the long run, the rise in temperature and the changes we experience with the seasons.” he concludes. .