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When lightning strikes, a migraine might not be far behind, according to a paper published in the journal of the International Headache Society earlier this year. In the study, there was a 31 percent increase in headache incidence whenever lightning struck land within 25 miles of the homes of the headache patients studied. Plus, incidences of new-onset headaches increased by a quarter during lightning strikes.

The migraine-headache connection is so strong – and changes in barometric pressure so keenly felt – some patients say they’re like their own meteorologist, said Dr. Joshua Cohen, MD, MPH, an attending neurologist at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center.

“We know that in times of weather changes, people with migraines are greatly susceptible to them,” Dr. Cohen explained. “We believe the reason for that is due to changes in barometric pressure.”

Barometric pressure is another way of saying air pressure -- the weight of the air pressing against the surface of the Earth. During fair, sunny weather, more air is sinking down to the Earth, producing higher pressure. The opposite happens during low pressure: Air rises high into the atmosphere, creating cloudy and rainy conditions on Earth.

Why barometric pressure so profoundly affects headache is a bit of an open question, said Dr. Steven Graff-Radford, DDS, the director of the program for headache and orofacial pain at the Cedar-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Barometric pressure changes might affect the pressure in the brain or the way the brain blocks pain, he said, but it’s not quite known. “What’s quite clear, however, is that overcast, cloudy and rainy days produce more migraine headaches,” he said.

The migraine-weather connection might also be evolutionary, as it keeps humans in tune with their environment. A person who is more sensitive to oncoming storms could be able to warn others of a potential threat, Graff-Radford explained.

In addition to changing barometric pressure and storms, other common weather headache triggers include changes in humidity, changes in temperature and extremely hot and dry conditions, according to the National Headache Foundation.

Headaches and Seasonal Changes

Spring comes with its own set of headache challenges: As the days get longer, the additional exposure to bright light often triggers migraines, Graff-Radford said. For allergy sufferers, spring pollen in the sinuses can also trigger headaches.

The changing circadian rhythms of the spring season can bring on cluster headaches. Clusters are a particularly intense form of headache that comes in waves, or clusters, at the same time and for the same duration every day for anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, Cohen said.

Once summer hits, heat and humidity can spur migraines as well. Dehydration is typically a powerful trigger – another reason why summer can be a particularly tough season for migraine patients.

If you’re plagued by headaches, keeping a headache journal can help you identify your triggers and avoid potentially painful situations. Understanding how your pain works is the first step toward keeping it at bay.

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