Alaska

The positions of high and low pressure centers can greatly influence a forecast. Fair weather generally accompanies a high pressure center and winds flow clockwise around a high. This means that winds on the back (western) side of the high are generally from a southerly direction and typically mean warmer temperatures.

If you are a regular viewer of weather broadcasts, chances are you’ve heard the following from your local TV meteorologist: “plenty of sunshine is in store today as high pressure is in control over the area.” Or: “expect rain to spread into the area as a low pressure system approaches.” It is well established that high …

“The most commonly reported result of changes in barometric pressure on our health is associated with headaches and migraines,” says Dr. Joseph Aquilina, a family medicine doctor and chief medical officer of SharpCare Medical Group.

The authors say a drop in barometric pressure causes blood vessels in the brain to widen, which triggers the release of serotonin. As serotonin levels rise, they set off the visual phenomenon known as aura. When serotonin levels drop again, the blood vessels swell, which may trigger a migraine attack.

Most people would agree, sudden weather changes can make you feel under the weather. It can’t actually make you sick, you need to be exposed to the actual bacteria or viruses. But it can weaken your immune system and make you more susceptible to those germs.

“This time of year as the temperature drops, in general, even when we have the fluctuations, it’s a more hospitable environment for different viruses,” Lukasa said. Germs, such as the rhinovirus that causes common colds, also tend to linger in lower temperatures.

The change of seasons also means different pollens and other allergens tend to spike. And allergies can irritate your lungs and nasal passages leaving you more susceptible to cold or flu viruses — it’s essentially a one-two punch for ending up being sick when the seasons change.

There is actual scientific evidence that humans are more likely to get less happy during the fall and winter season. According to a study on human behavior based on seasons, humans are more likely to suffer from seasonal affective disorder, or SAD starting during late fall and early winter.

If you tend to get “colds” that develop suddenly and occur at the same time every year, it’s possible that you actually have seasonal allergies. Although colds and seasonal allergies may share some of the same symptoms, they are very different diseases.

Adults average about 2 to 4 colds a year, although the range varies widely. Women, especially those aged 20 to 30 years, have more colds than men, possibly because of their closer contact with children. On average, people older than age 60 have fewer than one cold a year.

Adults catch real flu about once every five years, scientists calculate, based on a field study in China. Although many of us will feel ill more often than this, other flu-like infections are to usually blame, the international team says.

The average baby, toddler and child can get around 7 to 8 colds every year, at any time of year, not just in winter. By the time they reach school age that should reduce to around 5 to 6 times a year and when they become teenagers they reach the adult level of around 4 colds a year.

On average, each of us will get around 200 colds in a lifetime. Though some appear to suffer more than others, there is no evidence or, indeed, research on why, or if, that is really the case.