QUESTION:
Is 'thunder fever' real and deadly?
ANSWER:
Yes, the phenomenon is legit and can be fatal.
SOURCES:
Susan E Kosisky, BS, MHA Chief, Microbiologist US Army Centralized Allergen Extract Lab Director, Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
PROCESS:
The D.C. area has definitely seen it's share of rain, flooding and thunderstorms this spring. In mid-May a flurry of articles about a warning associated with thunderstorms has been getting traction online with some wondering if the warning is legit or not.
Several UK articles published in mid-May warned asthma sufferers to stay indoors because of a phenomenon called thunder fever. It's a combination of thunderstorms and a high pollen count. But skeptical people took to social media to ask if the so-called phenomenon is real.
We verified this story by first contacting an allergy expert in all things pollen and weather related, Susan E Kosisky, BS, MHA Chief, Microbiologist US Army Centralized Allergen Extract Lab Director.
Our expert said thunderstorm asthma, as it's better known, is a real thing.On rainy days with thunderstorms, while we don't see as many whole pollen grains but the smaller fragments flying around are easier to inhale.
That means your airways tighten up and asthma-like symptoms for anyone who's sensitive.
The storms also push air down, meaning there's more of those smaller pollen fragments floating around where we hang out.
We verified thunder fever is legit and it can also be fatal, according to experts at Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the most recent fatalities occurred in Melbourne, Australia where 10 people died due to thunder asthma related incidents.
However, Kosisky explained to our WUSA9 News researchers not every thunderstorm triggers thunderstorm asthma and contributing factors for it are thought to be: intensified wind speed, storm dynamics such as updrafts, downdrafts and outflows, humidity, temperature changes and amount or intensity of the rainfall.