Suburbanites battle allergies, aches in ping-pong weather

Two weeks ago, we moaned, "When will it be summer?"

A few days ago, we wondered, "What's up with all this rain?

And now, we're complaining "It's so hot!"

This all-over-the-board weather is not just making us whiners; it's also causing some health, recreation and business problems for people across the suburbs.

"As the old saying goes, be careful what you wish for," joked meteorologist Charles Mott, with the National Weather Service in Romeoville. "2009 has been pretty interesting so far."

The Chicago area is on track to have its wettest year ever. The 25.31 inches of rain that's fallen between Jan. 1 and June 20 is the most since the National Weather Service started keeping records in 1870.

Two weeks ago, nighttime temperatures dipped into the upper 40s. Last Friday, we had nearly 4 inches of rain. Now, we're in the midst of a heat wave that's expected to last all week with temperatures in the 90s and heat indexes near 100.

The yo-yoing weather is causing problems for people who suffer from asthma, arthritis, migraines and allergies.

Weather like this creates fluctuating amounts of allergens, like pollen and mold spores, which can trigger asthma attacks or cause allergy symptoms, said Dr. Mary Westerholm, a Central DuPage Hospital pediatrician with practices in Glen Ellyn and Wheaton.

The heat and humidity also can stiffen joints for people with arthritis, and cause dehydration-related nausea and headaches.

"It can be very dangerous," Westerholm said. "People that are older or who don't have strong immune systems are more sensitive to it."

The weather is not dangerous, but stressful, to local park districts that must juggle schedules for outdoor camps, sports leagues and other activities to accommodate the wacky weather.

At the Geneva Park District, they tried starting swimming lessons last week when temperatures were in the low 60s. They had to cancel softball leagues because of the recent rains, and now they're moving some activities indoors because of the heat.

"It definitely wears on people's patience, but it's out of our hands," said Superintendent of Recreation Jay Kelly.

The weather's also been tough on lifeguards, who only get paid when the pool is open.

"Some of the college students who came home early, hoping to make a little extra money, haven't been getting many hours," he said. "But the pools are packed now."

You'd think hot weather would be good for business at local ice cream shops, but that's not the case.

"When there's really, really hot weather, business is slow," said Diane Jacobsen, owner of Maggie Moo's Ice Cream in South Elgin. "They think ice cream is too heavy. Too much. The 75-80 degree range is best for business."

So far, business is holding up at Capannari's Ice Cream in Mount Prospect, where owner Kate Dolan Dix says Italian ice and sorbet sales sell best on hot days.

"When it's pouring rain, I sit there staring at the five kids on my payroll," she joked. "Unless it's raining sideways, we're usually OK. We're actually doing better than last year, weirdly."

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