Overview
- An especially strong spring bloom in Germany has pushed pollen levels higher than usual, with daily maps from Wetter.de showing where exposure is greatest.
- Researchers report that climate change is shifting the pollen season earlier, extending it, and increasing the amount of pollen in the air.
- During severe thunderstorms, wind and moist air can make pollen swell and burst into tiny fragments near 2.5 micrometers that can travel deep into the lungs.
- Doctors warn these fragments can trigger sudden, severe asthma attacks, a risk seen in Melbourne in 2016 when more than 3,400 people sought emergency care and ten died.
- Authorities urge Germany’s 12 million hay fever sufferers to check Deutscher Wetterdienst storm alerts and Helmholtz allergy forecasts, stay indoors as storms begin, plan outdoor time for evenings, and keep asthma medicine ready.