Thunderstorms create a majestic show of sound and light – and misery for people with asthma. Weatherman Flip Spiceland explains how storms can steal your breath away.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
If you’ve got asthma, you know it only takes a little pollen or dust in the air to get you wheezing.
But did you know that a rumble of thunder in the distance might be a sign that you’re in for an asthma attack?
A lot of people think of thunderstorms as clearing the air of pollutants and pollen, but when raindrops hit those airborne grains, they explode and turn into particles that are just the right size to get into people’s airways.
Then the storm’s winds spread them all over the place, and you’ve got trouble.
Researchers have found that people with asthma are more likely to go to the hospital on days after storms, leading scientists to name the “phenomenon thunderstorm asthma.”