Gathering Clouds, Gathering Evidence
Climate change could also change which Americans experience the most storms. Researchers in a June 2022 study predicted fewer storms in the Southern plains and more storms in the Midwest and the Southeastern United States in the future.
Dr. Dvorin practices in Southern New Jersey, and in this area, “we fortunate in this area not to experience thunderstorm-induced asthma exacerbations,” he said.
But climate change means that in the future, thunderstorm asthma could strike in places it has never been seen before, said Dr. Kevat, who wrote a thunderstorm asthma review article published online June 2020 in the Journal of Asthma and Allergy.
And this is not just a concern in the United States. Major thunderstorm asthma events have been reported in Italy, the United Kingdom, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. In November 2016, for instance, a strong set of storms swept across Melbourne, Australia. Temperatures dropped 10C (about 18F), humidity rose above 70%, and particulate matter like pollen became more concentrated in the air.
This event spurred a “thunderstorm asthma epidemic of unprecedented magnitude, tempo, and geographical range and severity,” Dr. Beggs and colleagues wrote in their June 2018 report in The Lancet Planetary Health.
Large-scale events like this can affect entire communities and quickly overwhelm local health care resources. Within 30 hours of the Melbourne storms, 3,365 people more than usual came to local emergency departments with respiratory issues — and 476 with asthma were admitted to the hospital. Ten people died: five in the hospital and five who could not be resuscitated or died while waiting for emergency services.
More research is needed “so as to best prepare for this unpredictable, significant public health threat,” Dr. Kevat wrote.
People whose asthma is triggered by pollen or mold spores are particularly at risk for thunderstorm asthma, Dr. Waqar said. If you’re unsure, an allergist can help diagnose and treat your allergic risks.
More severe thunderstorms are just one asthma trigger associated with climate change. Last summer, Canadian wildfires sent smoke across the northern U.S. and triggered widespread asthma exacerbations.
A version of this article appeared on WebMD.com.