STATEN ISLAND N.Y. — Though the mild winter of 2024 in New York City certainly had its advantages, this spring won’t likely be an easy one for those suffering from seasonal allergies.
The months of March, April and May are when Staten Islanders start heading to their allergist and primary-care physician in droves, looking for relief from a runny nose, headache, cough and sore throat brought on by spring seasonal allergies, doctors say.
And since this winter was a mild one compared to average temperatures recorded in Central Park, allergists are preparing for an onslaught of patients this spring.
Dr. Christopher V. Lisi, an ear, nose and throat specialist and the chief of the division of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton, said he’s expecting a significant increase in the number of patients he’ll treat in the Richmond Health Network Center for Advanced ENT, Sinus and Voice Care in Bulls Head this spring, as the pollen — and the reaction to it — will be more extreme.
“After a warmer winter, we may see things booming earlier,’’ he said. “And the allergy symptoms usually correlate with how intense the blooms are.”
He said he’s preparing for a flood of patients in March, April and May.
WINTER 2024
During the winter of 2023-2024, meteorologists recorded warmer high and low temperatures in Central Park than averages recorded since 1990, according to Bryan Ramsey, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
In December 2023, the high temperature average was 50 degrees, and we hit an average of 42 degrees in January 2024 and 45 degrees in February 2024, Ramsey said. Lows averaged 40 degrees for December 2023, 32 degrees for January and 33 degrees for February, he said.
These numbers were warmer than the average expected temperatures, Ramsey said.
Historically, the average high temperature in Central Park is 45 degrees in December, 40 degrees in January and 43 degrees in February. The…
Read the full article here
Leave a Reply