Despite Breezy, Cool Weather, Minnesotans Retain Climactic Optimism
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It's nearly a month until fall starts, but lately it felt like pumpkin and cider weather was already upon us.
Some wore sweatshirts or long sleeves as they walked around Lake of the Isles, it got down to 54 degrees Monday. The bend in the trees show just how present the wind was outside today gusts were up to 37 miles per hour.
We found out the wind is bringing with it more problems than just bad hair days.
Tennis isn't exactly easy to master but on this day the perfect serve was even trickier to execute. Rachel Deering played a practice match with her De La Salle High School teammate Sarah Brezonik.
"It is harder to play in the wind," Deering said. "If the wind's pushing it this way, the ball kinda float that way and it's way harder to hit it."
Brezonik says the wind has an advantage.
"It's pretty windy but it feels nice," she said.
Over in Minnetonka, David Nelson's battle was a bit more internal.
"It's the shortness of breath, the itchiness, the puffiness," he said.
We met him at his allergy shot appointment, red eyes and all.
"For me, usually it's a little bit worse when I wake up in the mornings, a little bit of redness, a little bit of itchiness," he said.
And his doctor, Michael Wexler, would agree. Dr. Wexler says pollen's most intense in the morning and pollen is all around us.
"The past few days, we're seeing an increase, sneezing, itchy nose, stuffy nose coughing," Dr. Wexler said.
Dr. Wexler says ragweed and mold are peaking right now, and the weekend rain intensified the mold and now more discomfort is blowing through.
"The reason your eyes are itchy and red is because there's a lot of pollen and mold blowing around," he said. "With the winds that we've had recently that just stirs things up more."
That's worse for allergies and asthma, and worse for games that require a two-ounce ball.
But in typical Minnesota form, climatic optimism is always in the air. Brezonik and Deering say it cools them down as they volley.
Dr. Wexler says if allergies are bothering you, avoid the outdoors in the early mornings and keep your windows closed, with the air conditioning on. Mild discomfort is normal, but if it's not an over the counter fix, then he suggests seeing a doctor.
