Hot, humid temperatures, changes in air quality, and extreme weather events might trigger these headaches in some people.

When you live with migraine, knowing your triggers can help you get a better handle on these painful headaches. Stress, a lack of sleep, hormonal changes, and caffeine are just a few of the common factors that are known to set off migraine attacks.

But we’re still learning about other potential triggers, including weather, the environment, and climate change.

The idea that changes in the weather could trigger a migraine attack isn’t new. People who get these headaches have long described to their doctors how certain weather conditions set off their headaches. However, the relationship has been difficult for researchers to confirm.

A small 2014 study noted that 13% of participants said their migraine symptoms were sensitive to weather changes. Yet the types of weather events that triggered their headaches didn’t follow any specific pattern. For example, some people got a migraine attack when the atmospheric pressure was high, while others were more affected by low atmospheric pressure.

A larger 2015 study showed that the number of people admitted to emergency departments rose during times of high temperatures and low humidity.

In general, people may notice migraine gets worse with a variety of weather changes, including:

  • cold weather
  • warm weather
  • wind
  • rain
  • humidity

However, the results aren’t consistent.

With this in mind, know that your own weather-related migraine triggers might not be the same as someone else’s. It’s important to observe your own triggers and to try to adapt so that you can avoid migraine attacks when the weather takes a turn.

Certain environmental factors can trigger a migraine attack, including:

  • Air pollution: Exposure to air pollution has been found to trigger migraine, especially at high temperatures and high levels.
  • High altitude: Reaching over 8,500 feet above sea level can be a headache trigger, and long-term exposure to high altitudes may increase the risk of migraine and bring on more severe symptoms.

Future research may help unravel the impact that environmental factors may have on diseases, including migraine.

We can see the effects of climate change all around us. Record-breaking heat waves, severe floods, extreme hurricanes, and wildfires have taken a huge toll. Climate change has also left an impact on human health.

A 2024 study found that extreme temperatures could be making neurological (brain and nervous system) conditions, which may include headaches and migraine, more severe.

Extreme weather events are also linked to an increase in lung and cardiovascular diseases, injuries, and premature deaths.

Rising temperatures may also impact headaches. One study that looked at emergency department (ED) visits found that for every 5-degree increase in temperature, there was a corresponding 4% increase in ED visits.

Experts say that climate change might impact headache frequency and intensity in a few ways:

  • Extreme weather events like fires and floods can be very stressful — and stress is a known migraine trigger.
  • During floods, fires, and big storms, chemicals can leak from storage containers and contaminate the soil and water. These chemicals cause irritation that might contribute to headaches.
  • Toxic substances in wildfire smoke may worsen migraine and other headaches. One study found an increase in ED visits for migraine and other headaches after exposure to California wildfires.
  • Air pollution causes inflammation in the lungs and throughout the body, which changes blood vessels in the brain.

Climate change is very complicated, and scientists are trying to learn how it impacts health.

If you think changes in weather, the environment, or the climate may trigger migraine for you, take action. Keep a diary of when you get a migraine attack. Write down what you were doing at the time and what the weather was like. That way, you can start to look for patterns and see how changes in temperature or humidity affect you.

You can use a weather or air quality app to monitor the temperature and air pollution in your area. Try to stay inside on very hot days and on days with high levels of smoke or pollutants in the air.

If you experience frequent or disabling migraine attacks, talk with your doctor about your treatment options. Certain preventive medications may help reduce the frequency and severity of attacks, including:

  • antidepressants
  • anti-seizure drugs
  • blood pressure medicines like angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), beta-blockers, and calcium channel blockers
  • calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-targeted therapies

Taking a preventive medication might help to prevent heat-related migraine. Research presented at the 2024 American Headache Society’s Annual Scientific Meeting found that for every 10-degree temperature increase, there was a 6% increase in any type of headache.

If your migraine is triggered by heat, consider these tips to stay cool:

  • Use a small air conditioner.
  • Avoid going outside when it’s very hot.
  • Drink cold liquids.
  • Use an ice pack.

If you cannot adjust the temperature in your immediate environment, preventive migraine medication may be helpful.

Everyone has different migraine triggers. Stress, certain foods, and a lack of sleep are just some of the things that can set off an attack.

Weather changes and environmental triggers can also affect migraine. Over time, the impact of climate change may alter the environment, with a variety of potentially harmful consequences — including the possibility of more prevalent weather-related and environmental migraine triggers.

Your primary care doctor or headache specialist can help you identify your triggers and recommend treatments to prevent and manage migraine. If weather or pollution seems to be a headache trigger for you, try to stay indoors when it’s hot outside, or when the air quality is poor.