EL PASO, Texas \u2014 Strong wind gusts between 45 and 50 miles per hour are expected across the Borderland, according to the National Weather Service in El Paso.<\/p>\n
Forecasters say the gusty conditions are being driven by a tightening pressure gradient behind a passing system, creating dry, dusty air typical for late winter and early spring in the Chihuahuan Desert.<\/p>\n
Medical professionals say windy conditions can significantly worsen seasonal allergies by lifting and circulating:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Desert dust<\/p>\n
\u2022 Tree and weed pollen<\/p>\n
\u2022 Mold spores<\/p>\n
\u2022 Airborne pollutants<\/p>\n
According to the American college of allergy, asthma and immunology, wind can increase pollen distribution, allowing allergens to travel farther and remain suspended in the air longer \u2014 increasing exposure even for people who typically have mild symptoms.<\/p>\n
The Center of disease control and preventionalso notes that dust storms and high winds can irritate the respiratory system, especially for individuals with asthma or chronic lung conditions.<\/p>\n
Doctors say those most at risk during high wind events include:<\/p>\n
\u2022 People with asthma<\/p>\n
\u2022 Individuals with seasonal allergies<\/p>\n
\u2022 Young children<\/p>\n
\u2022 Older adults<\/p>\n
\u2022 Anyone with chronic respiratory conditions<\/p>\n
Symptoms may include sneezing, congestion, itchy or watery eyes, coughing, sinus pressure, and shortness of breath.<\/p>\n
The National Weather Service warns that wind gusts near 50 mph can also reduce visibility due to blowing dust \u2014 particularly along I-10, Trans Mountain Road, and open desert areas.<\/p>\n
Drivers are urged to slow down, especially during sudden dust bursts.<\/p>\n
Health experts recommend:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Staying indoors during peak wind periods<\/p>\n
\u2022 Keeping windows closed<\/p>\n
\u2022 Using HEPA air filters if available<\/p>\n
\u2022 Wearing sunglasses and a mask outdoors if sensitive<\/p>\n
\u2022 Taking prescribed allergy medication as directed<\/p>\n
With allergy season already beginning in the Borderland, windy conditions may mark an early spike in symptoms.<\/p>\n
ABC-7 StormTrackers and ABC-7 StormTrack weather app will continue monitoring wind speeds and air quality updates as conditions develop.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"EL PASO, Texas \u2014 Strong wind gusts between 45 and 50 miles per hour are expected across the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":168459,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[138,140,139],"class_list":["post-168458","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-el-paso","tag-el-paso","tag-el-paso-headlines","tag-el-paso-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168458","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=168458"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168458\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/168459"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=168458"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=168458"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=168458"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}