Brutal ragweed season ahead? Blame extreme weather
People who have allergies may be in for a rough ragweed season this summer and fall, thanks to hotter and wetter weather nationwide.
The flowering weed produces a type of sneeze-inducing pollen known to cause hay fever, a condition that affects as many as 23 million people in the United States, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). Ragweed has run amok across the country over the past few years, according to allergists. The culprit is extreme weather -- high temperatures and heavy rain -- that creates the perfect environment for ragweed-producing plants to grow. As a result, the allergy season becomes longer and more brutal.