Hay fever and asthma ‘thunder fever’ warning for UK after storms | UK News

A warning has been issued to people who suffer with hay fever and asthma after the UK was battered by storms.

Weather warnings were in place across most of the country on Wednesday as we endured ‘unseasonably’ strong winds of up to 60mph and torrential rain.

But it’s not just the relentless bleak conditions to contend with – now there’s also an increased risk of flare-ups for those with allergies.

Health experts have warned of ‘thunder fever’ which is caused by high speed winds circulating more pollen into the air.

As a result, it can trigger asthma symptoms if particles get into a person’s airways and also worsen the effects of hay fever.

Doctors have cited breathing difficulties as one of the most concerning symptoms, reports LBC.

Dr Neel Patel, a GP at Lloyds Pharmacy Online Doctor, said: ‘The air can feel very close and humid before a storm. For people with asthma, this can trigger a tight chest, cough and difficulty breathing.’

Expert advice previously issued by Kleenex says stormy days ‘may feel like sweet relief for heavy humidity in the air’ but warned it can ‘bring on a wave’ of hay fever symptoms

It said: ‘Whether you think you’re a thunder fever sufferer or you’ve never heard of it before, thunder fever and hay fever may actually go hand-in-hand.

‘When thunderstorms and a high pollen count collide, people with allergies experience the phenomenon known as thunder fever.

‘This thunderstorm hay fever is a more intense version of hay fever. Thunder fever can feel more severe than hay fever.’

Met Office meteorologists admitted the long period of miserable weather we’re experiencing is ‘more like autumn’ than summer.

It has also warned we are ‘unlikely’ to see much improvement this year and the chance of a heatwave is all but off the cards.

A spokesman said: ‘Looking ahead to the rest of August, there are some early signals for at least a brief spell of something a little warmer and more settled to develop towards the end of next week, most likely for southern areas. 

‘However, it remains that the greatest chance of seeing anything more widely settled would be through the second part of August, although this may be accompanied by an increasing risk of thundery showers. 

‘With unsettled conditions never too far away, it looks unlikely that we will see any prolonged or excessive heat, with the chance of heatwaves here in the UK being lower than some recent Augusts.’

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