I grew up in Atlanta, GA area with bad allergies. I am allergic to just about anything that grows, it seems, but dust/mites & cats were my very worst. As an adult they finally got so bad I left my home state in hopes of finding a healthier place to live. And for about 7 yrs, I thought I had in San Jose, CA (south of SF). An allergist here once told me, given the severity of my allergies previously, if they hadn’t developed within a couple years of living here they weren’t likely to – not true.
My last 3 springs here have been miserable, I believe due to late heavy winter rains bringing on heavy pollenation. What is really interesting is I had noticed at other times during the winter months after a rain I could actually breathe BETTER! Less congestion. Who can Figure!
It is so true that what area is best for you depends on what you are sensitive to. Many people here say this is the worst place to live because everything grows here. I’ve heard & say the South is the Allergy Capitol because of the humidity – it amplifies everything, esp molds!
So now I too am contemplating moving on to another state, but don’t know where I would do best for the longest term. Desert? Wyoming with its frigid winters & mild summers? I do love snow & mountains! What about Montana? Any opinions? Near the Rockies, of course! Any suggestions appreciated. — Linda, San Jose, CA
This comment is for Linda, I have lived in San Jose also all my life. Over the past ten years, I have developed severe allergies, I know it’s because California has no real cold or rainy seasons anymore. It is a beautiful place. However, It is warm here almost all the time, so something is constantly pollenating. I went to Colorado, and Wyoming, in July, had very little problems there. Nevada was good also. Las Vegas does have some smog, so if you are sensitive to smog, go more towards Reno. Also to the upper elevations.
The East coast has too much rain, and dampness, so you get the mold spores, which many asthmatics have problems with. I heard this from a doctor that worked in one of the clinics in Washington. It’s a shame because I was gonna try Washington, but it rains so much the mold is very high. So, my experience has been, for most people with allergies, you need a place where you get very defined seasons, Winter Cold for at least 4 months, (November thru mid March) then, Spring for 3 months, then summer for 3 months, then back to Fall, or October again. Anytime you have too many months of one temperature, whether it’s heat, cold or humidity, it seems to cause more allergies. (It’s almost like your body gets tired of it and reacts.)
The season information mentioned above is all approximate of course, but this is very close to how the seasons were here when I was younger. My allergies were almost non-exsistent then. The hotter it gets, the worse I feel. The climate has definitely changed.