Natural Disasters & Allergies: What You Need to Know to Protect Your Health

Weather-related disasters pose serious risks to health and safety. As the International Panel on Climate Change noted in its latest synthesis report, these hazards are projected to increase in every region in the coming years.¹

For allergy patients, there may be short- or long-term risk factors driven by extreme weather events such as floods and storms. The scientific community is still researching these issues and many questions need to be answered, but for people with allergies, there are factors to be aware of and to discuss with your healthcare provider.

Disasters and allergy risks

Let's take a look at potential allergy-related issues from extreme weather scenarios:

Wildfires

Wildfires have been increasing in duration and intensity in recent years. In the West, fire season is about two months longer than in the past, and Eastern regions of the U.S. are experiencing more hot, dry days that can affect fires.² The most urgent respiratory risk from wildfires is exposure to wildfire smoke, which contains very small particles called "fine particulate matter" or PM 2.5.³ These particles are dangerous because they're so small they can penetrate deep into our respiratory tracts and cause illnesses like bronchitis or aggravate existing heart or lung diseases.⁴

Wildfire smoke is therefore very hazardous for people with asthma or allergies, but not because the smoke causes either of these conditions to develop. It aggravates existing conditions, so asthma attacks and hospital admissions for those already diagnosed can increase with exposure to wildfire smoke.⁵ There can be long-term impacts as well — a recent study found that respiratory function was negatively impacted even a year after exposure to wildfire smoke. This study wasn’t focused just on allergy patients, and it demonstrated that anyone is at risk from wildfire smoke exposure.⁵

Dust storms

Similar to wildfires, the biggest threat from dust storms is inhaling very small particles that can exacerbate existing conditions.⁶ Desert dust, such as the huge cloud of Saharan dust that affected North America in 2020, can also have bacteria or pollutants in it that are dangerous for everyone.⁶

What is important to distinguish is that dust storms don’t carry the main allergen associated with dust — dust mites. These microscopic bugs, which are a common cause of allergies, don’t travel in desert dust. They’re most often found in soft materials such as bedding and furniture, and while they are a serious allergy concern, their numbers aren’t influenced by actual dust storms.

Hurricanes

There are a number of severe health risks that come with hurricanes, including exposure to contaminated water or toxins, disease outbreaks, air pollution, and risks from destroyed infrastructure and power outages.⁷ Flooding is often a major factor in these risks, and it also impacts longer-term allergy risks. Flooding causes mold, which is a common indoor allergen. After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, for example, there was extensive mold growth in flooded homes reaching levels associated with negative health effects.⁸ Other studies have shown a connection between dampness and mold and allergic rhinitis, as well as asthma development and exacerbation.⁹

Floods

Catastrophic flooding unrelated to hurricanes has caused extensive damage recently, including in Vermont, Kentucky, and New York just in the summer of 2023. Like hurricanes, these disasters are acute causes of mold growth, which can impact allergy patients sensitized to mold.⁹

Thunderstorms & tornadoes

Thunderstorms can cause flooding, which can result in mold issues. A tornado accompanying a thunderstorm is fast-moving and highly dangerous because of the destruction it can cause, but there aren’t strong links between tornadoes and particular allergic triggers. Thunderstorms can, however, affect pollen movement, which can aggravate pollen allergies in sensitized patients.¹⁰

The air flows that happen during thunderstorms can cause pollen grains to burst and then be distributed at ground level. The first 20 to 30 minutes of a thunderstorm are the most risky for allergy patients because of the concentrations of pollen.¹⁰ It’s possible that allergy sufferers will experience an asthma attack even if they haven’t been diagnosed with asthma specifically.¹⁰ Pollen-related allergies vary by season — for example, ragweed pollen is most concentrated in late summer or fall — so these allergic triggers depend on when a thunderstorm occurs.

Finding relief from disaster-related allergies

The treatment for allergy issues stemming from an extreme weather event depends on the nature of the disaster. In the case of wildfire smoke or dust, it’s best to prevent exposure. While the smoke or dust themselves don't cause allergies or allergic reactions, they can aggravate airways, so experts recommend using air filters to remove small particles from indoor air, keeping windows closed, and avoiding strenuous exercise that makes you breathe more.⁴

If, for example, you have an allergy to birch tree pollen and a severe thunderstorm is forecast in the spring, when birch pollen is prevalent in the environment, you can take steps to avoid exposure such as keeping windows closed and staying indoors (which you may want to do anyway in a storm). If you have a diagnosed mold allergy and you experience flooding from any type of weather event, you can find remediation services and aim to remove and repair mold damage as quickly as possible. 

Getting to the bottom of allergic triggers

For those with suspected allergies, the first step is to identify which trigger you are allergic to. Your healthcare provider can order a specific IgE blood test that can help determine which allergen is causing your symptoms.

Most people with allergies – up to 90% – are allergic to multiple allergens.¹¹

So, a specific IgE blood test with a respiratory profile may help provide more comprehensive insights into what is specifically causing symptoms. Addressing other causes (pets, mice, dust mites, etc.) can help prevent you from reaching your symptom threshold (the point at which you start to experience symptoms) when exposed to additional allergens from severe weather events.

Staying safe from extreme weather risks

Weather-related disasters inflict damage and suffering. For allergy patients, there are related risks to be aware of so that you can take preventative steps to limit exposure to your triggers.

A specific IgE blood test may help you discover your allergic triggers. Learn more about how to get an allergy test. 

With preparation, allergy testing, and safety precautions, you can reduce the allergy risks from these difficult situations.