Chicago Allergy & Asthma

According to the Centers for Disease control ragweed is the leading cause of seasonal allergies. Weeds and pollen's are the main culprit for allergies in from late summer to late fall. Researchers at the US Department of Agriculture stated that the change in concentrations of carbon dioxide from a pre-industrial level of 280 ppm to today's concentrations of over 400 ppm has created an increase in pollen production per plant of ragweed.

 

According to Vox, "we can see the effects of carbon dioxide on a smaller scale as well. Researchers have found that grasses and ragweed plants increase their pollen production in response to localized surges in carbon dioxide like the exhaust of cars along a highway." Ragweed and pollen season comes to an end as temperatures drop in the 20's because the ragweed plants are unable to survive cold conditions.

 

As Fall weather is now hitting the Chicago area hard with high temperatures in the 40s today, we are certainly seeing shift in our grass and ragweed seasonal allergies.  Stay tuned as the weather starts to turn, we can expect new sources of allergies to take shape.