TAMPA, Fla. — Itchy and watery eyes coupled with congestion and sinus ache are seasonal allergic reactions {that a} new study unearths other folks can be expecting to stick round longer this 12 months due to climate change.
The study by the nonprofit Climate Central checked out information from 1970 to 2022 and located the “freeze-free” season is, on reasonable, 15 days longer around the United States. That way fewer days of freezing temps permit vegetation extra time to develop, flower and unencumber pollen.
“Climate Central analyzed 203 U.S. cities and took a look at the length of their freeze-free season. So basically, the time in spring when you have your last freezing temperature and the time when you have your first freezing temperature in the fall,” defined Climate Central Meteorologist Lauren Casey.
In Florida, freezing temperatures are a lot shorter than in a lot of the rustic, which Casey mentioned contributes to extra year-round allergens, nevertheless it doesn’t imply the Sunshine State isn’t incorporated within the climate change findings.
“In Tallahassee, the freeze-free season lengthened 27 days, so nearly a month,” she defined.
Climate Central
Casey added that extra precipitation leads to extra moisture and every other commonplace allergen in Florida — mould.
“Mold, of course, can cause a lot of allergies year-round, the dampness also dealing with higher precipitation rates also because of climate change,” she mentioned.
The National Allergy Bureau website confirmed bushes are inflicting the worst allergic reactions in Tampa Bay as of the primary week of April, with mould and weeds at reasonable ranges.
We requested Dr. Thomas Casale, an allergist and Director of the Division of Allergy, and Immunologist Joy McCann Culverhouse from the Clinical Research Center on the University of South Florida to weigh in on allergic reactions in Tampa Bay.
“Our tree season is very bad and it starts earlier than, for example, in the Midwest,” he mentioned. “So right now, we have so many different types of oak trees, so individual trees might only pollinate for a couple of weeks, but we have different types of oak trees, so the season tends to be long because we roll into different types of trees.”
Florida’s humidity additionally invitations allergens indoors.
“Especially… cockroaches, right? Because they’re all over the place, and that’s a big issue along with house dust mites,” Casale mentioned.
He mentioned the most efficient factor Floridians can do is stay humidity of their houses beneath 50% via final home windows and the use of air con and dehumidifiers.
“And if you’re outdoors for a prolonged period of time when you come in, shampoo your hair because the pollen sticks to your hair and can be a significant problem,” Casale urged. “Generally exercise at times when the pollen counts are lower so late in the evening, or very early morning because the pollen counts do change during the day as well.”
And Casey has recommendation for the long run.
“Foremost, we need to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and curb any additional warming to our planet,” she mentioned.
Click here to be told extra about rising seasons and lengths from the USDA.