Capital Weather Gang: Health


Posted at 02:33 PM ET, 01/29/2013

Smog pollution chokes Beijing, China air
By Jason Samenow
Since January began, a nasty brew of gray and brown smog has commandeered Beijing’s air on multiple occasions, deeply compromising its air quality and slashing visibility.

By Jason Samenow  |  02:33 PM ET, 01/29/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, International Weather, Health, Environment

Posted at 03:59 PM ET, 01/11/2013

Experts divided on weather and flu link
By Jason Samenow
Flu has reached widespread levels in 47 states. Does cold, dry weather lead to the flu outbreaks? The cold not so much. Dry weather may play a role, although it’s controversial.

By Jason Samenow  |  03:59 PM ET, 01/11/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  capital-weather-gang, Health, Latest

Posted at 01:18 PM ET, 11/30/2012

Study: weather forecasting science can help predict flu outbreaks
By Jason Samenow
The impressive performance of state of the art weather forecasting systems led to strikingly accurate forecasts for Superstorm Sandy at long lead times. A new study finds the same technology that has led to such weather forecasting feats may help us determine when we’re most likely to catch the flu, which kills 35,000 Americans each year.

By Jason Samenow  |  01:18 PM ET, 11/30/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Health

Posted at 07:43 PM ET, 07/06/2012

Weather and worrying: summertime storms alarm some, post-derecho
By A. Camden Walker
Maybe some of us have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or acute stress disorder (ASD)? After last Friday’s big time derecho complex rolled through, we learned about just how badly we could hurt, how badly our homes, trees, cars—our very infrastructure—could be damaged. Even now, a few thousand of us still don’t have power.

By A. Camden Walker  |  07:43 PM ET, 07/06/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Thunderstorms, Health

Posted at 12:53 PM ET, 05/29/2012

Early season heat: the most dangerous kind
By Jason Samenow
When stifling heat and oppressive humidity smack us down mid-summer, it certainly poses a hazard. But this suffocating combination sucks the life out of us the most when it strikes early.

By Jason Samenow  |  12:53 PM ET, 05/29/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Extreme Heat, Health

Posted at 10:00 AM ET, 05/25/2012

Don’t Fry Day: Smart tips to prevent sunburn and skin cancer
By Dan Stillman
The sun is getting stronger and the beginning of beach and pool season is upon us. So let today serve as a reminder of just how important it is to protect your skin from the sun this outdoor season. One American dies every hour from melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. And approximately 76,000 new cases of melanoma will occur this year. The good news is that skin cancer is preventable.

By Dan Stillman  |  10:00 AM ET, 05/25/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Health, Latest

Posted at 12:08 PM ET, 04/06/2012

Pollen expert: Tree pollen decline “seems to have already begun”
By Jason Samenow
Those of us with pollen allergies have suffered early and often this spring thanks in large part to abnormally warm conditions. But there is an upside: tree pollen counts - which normally peak in April - may have already started to trend downwards.

By Jason Samenow  |  12:08 PM ET, 04/06/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Health

Posted at 12:13 PM ET, 03/29/2012

Tree pollen spikes to March record high
By Jason Samenow
The tree pollen count has surged into the very high range. This looks to be the highest March reading 1998-2011 for tree pollen due to an early oak surge this year.

By Jason Samenow  |  12:13 PM ET, 03/29/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Environment, Latest, Health

Posted at 01:06 PM ET, 02/02/2012

A Groundhog day pollen report: 6 more weeks of sneezing
By Jason Samenow
Will we have 6 more weeks of winter, or 6 added weeks of allergy suffering? Bet on the latter. The U.S. Army Garrison (USAG) pollen report issued today for Washington, D.C. indicates both mold spores and tree pollen are well above average for the time of year.

By Jason Samenow  |  01:06 PM ET, 02/02/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Health

Posted at 01:45 PM ET, 12/29/2011

Dry arctic air on the way: Is your home, nose humidified?
By Dan Stillman
So far this has not only been a mild winter for the D.C. area, but also a relatively humid one compared to usual. But with an Arctic blast threatening the coldest and driest air of the season to date next week, now is as good a time as any to humidify your home and combat the symptoms of the common cold and flu.

By Dan Stillman  |  01:45 PM ET, 12/29/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Health, Latest

Posted at 02:49 PM ET, 11/23/2011

Washington, D.C.: an epi-center of sickness?
By Jason Samenow
A new website, which scans social media for place-based indicators of sickness, detects a plume of unwelcome ailments sprawled across the D.C. metro region.

By Jason Samenow  |  02:49 PM ET, 11/23/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Health

Posted at 12:30 PM ET, 10/06/2011

Mold spores surge to triple historical average
By Jason Samenow
Although the D.C metro region continues to dry out after the incessantly cloudy and wet September, mold spore levels remain elevated due to the lingering moisture. Today’s count of 15, 345 spores per cubic meter, while just a fraction of last week’s record high of 47,483, remains in the high range.

By Jason Samenow  |  12:30 PM ET, 10/06/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Health

Posted at 10:15 AM ET, 09/30/2011

Mold hits highest September level in ten year record Thursday
By Jason Samenow
On Thursday, the count for mold spores in Washington, D.C. rose to 47,483 spores per cubic meter of air. That concentration was the highest in the U.S. Army Centralized Allergen Extract Lab’s ten year record for September according to Susan Kosisky, a microbiologist at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center lab.

By Jason Samenow  |  10:15 AM ET, 09/30/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Health, Latest, Local Climate

Posted at 10:30 AM ET, 08/12/2011

Fire from Virginia’s Great Dismal Swamp may blow smoke on D.C. Saturday, reducing air quality

By Jason Samenow
A bolt of lightning ignited a large fire on August 4 in the dry grass and brush of the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in extreme southeast Virginia. Through Tuesday, the fire had consumed 3,200 acres reports NASA. When its smoke blows north Saturday, it may generate dismal air quality in Washington, D.C.

By Jason Samenow  |  10:30 AM ET, 08/12/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Health

Posted at 10:30 AM ET, 07/21/2011

The origins of the heat index and why it’s important
By Jason Samenow
Questions have arisen as to whether the heat index is a legitimate scientific measure. It is. There’s truth in the saying, “it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity.”

By Jason Samenow  |  10:30 AM ET, 07/21/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Health, Latest, Extreme Heat

Posted at 01:35 PM ET, 06/24/2011

Heads up D.C.-Baltimore: Low-flying NASA plane to probe air quality over I-95 & BW Parkway
By Dan Stillman
Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming NASA air quality campaign.

By Dan Stillman  |  01:35 PM ET, 06/24/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Health, Technology, Latest

Posted at 02:30 PM ET, 06/17/2011

New sunscreen regulations seek to block out misconceptions
By Justin Grieser
With the summer solstice just around the corner, lathering on the sunscreen is a must for anyone heading to the pool or beach this weekend.

By Justin Grieser  |  02:30 PM ET, 06/17/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Health, Environment, Latest

Posted at 11:30 AM ET, 05/27/2011

Holiday hazards: Sizzling sun, raging rivers & scattered storms
By Dan Stillman
We’ve talked about the potential for scattered strong to severe storms later today and isolated storms later in the weekend, and we’ll certainly keep you updated if/when storms develop. But there are at least two other less obvious, but quite dangerous hazards out there this Memorial Day Weekend...

By Dan Stillman  |  11:30 AM ET, 05/27/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Health, Latest

Posted at 12:30 PM ET, 04/22/2011

Walter Reed: Tree pollen seems to have peaked
By Jason Samenow
Walter Reed Army Medical Center sends along some good news today: the worst of the tree pollen season may have passed. Here’s the update, courtesy Susan Kosisky of the Allergen Extract Lab...

By Jason Samenow  |  12:30 PM ET, 04/22/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Health

Posted at 02:30 PM ET, 04/21/2011

Will rain Friday wash away pollen?
By Jason Samenow
If there’s any good news for pollen sufferers, it’s that some rain is likely late tomorrow into tomorrow night, which should knock levels down some. Tree pollen counts today have surged to 2177 grains/cubic meter which is very high according to Walter Reed Army Medical Center. So how much rain are we talking about?

By Jason Samenow  |  02:30 PM ET, 04/21/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Health, Latest

Posted at 06:00 PM ET, 04/07/2011

Image of day: Pollen season, it’s only the beginning
By Jason Samenow
Every weekday, the Walter Reed Army Medical Center issues pollen reports. In today’s, they posted a graphic that will surely terrify allergy sufferers.

By Jason Samenow  |  06:00 PM ET, 04/07/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Health, Latest

Posted at 10:15 AM ET, 03/23/2011

Computer models aid Japanese nuclear response
By Andrew Freedman
As the Japanese nuclear crisis continues to unfold, the airborne spread of radioactive materials from the stricken reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi power station continues to be a key concern of Japanese and American officials. To help determine the path that any hazardous emissions are likely to take, scientists are employing specialized computer models, known as “trajectory models,” which can take into account factors such as winds and temperatures aloft to determine how high a parcel of air is likely to climb, how far it may go, and where it may be within certain timeframes.

By Andrew Freedman  |  10:15 AM ET, 03/23/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Freedman, Health, Latest, International Weather, Technology, Science

Posted at 10:45 AM ET, 09/16/2010

Ragweed pollen above average this year
By Jason Samenow
Are your allergies acting up this fall? There's a good reason - ragweed pollen has been worse than usual.

By Jason Samenow  |  10:45 AM ET, 09/16/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Health

Posted at 11:30 AM ET, 05/28/2010

Don't Fry Day: Today and every day
By Ann Posegate
We don't need to live in Arizona or Australia to be exposed to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays, plenty of which can pass through even mostly cloudy skies. And we don't need to have experienced sunburn to get skin cancer. The Friday before Memorial day is Don't Fry Day, a sun safety awareness campaign of the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention and the Environmental Protection Agency.

By Ann Posegate  |  11:30 AM ET, 05/28/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Health, Health

Posted at 10:30 AM ET, 05/06/2009

Will Summer Weather Suppress Swine Flu?
By Ann Posegate
* Full Forecast | An Imperfect Temperature Forecast * Laboratory image of the swine flu virus. Courtesy Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Bring on the heat -- and the humidity. Bad hair days may be just what the doctor ordered for slowing the spread of swine flu. Traditional flu...

By Ann Posegate  |  10:30 AM ET, 05/06/2009 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Health, Health

Posted at 10:45 AM ET, 07/16/2008

Thunderstorms and Asthma: A New link
By Capital Weather Gang
Wx and the City By Ann Posegate If you're planning on exercising outdoors anytime soon, you may want to do so in the morning. For one, air quality (particulate and ozone levels) is worse in the evening hours, after building up from a day's worth of vehicle emissions. But thunderstorms...

By Capital Weather Gang  |  10:45 AM ET, 07/16/2008 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Health, Health, Health