Home
Weather London
WeatherRadar
RainfallRadar
TemperatureRadar
WindRadar
LightningRadar
Weather News
Editor's Pick
Discover the app
Weather widget
Contact us
Apps
Career
    Home / Editor's Pick /

    Under pressure: Does the weather give you a headache?

08:00
3 May 2023

Under pressure
Does the weather give you a headache?

headache

Is the weather giving you a headache? If so, you aren't alone.

Forecasting the weather can cause all kinds of headaches, but how about the weather itself? If you suffer from what seems like a random onset of headaches, it could be down to a change in the weather.

According to the NHS, "Pressure changes that cause weather changes are thought to trigger chemical and electrical changes in the brain. This irritates nerves, leading to a headache."

This is because the air around you has a weight. In a high pressure system, air is more dense and sinks. As a result, higher pressure means a greater weight exerted down onto the surface of the Earth.

Headaches can be brought on by a change in the pressure, not just high pressure. When the pressure changes, it creates a difference between the outside air, and your sinuses and ears, which can result in pain. This is also what happens when you are inside a plane.

It's not just barometric pressure changes that can cause headaches, but also a change in winds for example, which can stir up allergens in the air and aggravate your sinuses. Seasonal changes too, due to pollen, may also trigger this.

Weather & Radar editorial team
More on the topic
Severe weather in the Mediterranean. Is a medicane on the way?. . . Monday, 14 September 2026
A weather map shows a powerful low-pressure system over the Mediterranean, with warning symbols for storms and heavy rain.
Monday, 14 September 2026

Is a medicane on the way?

Severe weather in the Mediterranean
Record ocean heat halting hurricanes. Strong El Niño influence. . . Friday, 11 September 2026
A weather map shows a calm Atlantic Ocean with no hurricanes, alongside a picture of the sea.
Friday, 11 September 2026

Strong El Niño influence

Record ocean heat halting hurricanes
A snowy winter in the Andes. Avalanches and storms. . . Tuesday, 15 September 2026
Tuesday, 15 September 2026

Avalanches and storms

A snowy winter in the Andes
All weather news
This might also interest you
A frozen start to the weekend. Icy conditions. . . Friday, 13 February 2026
UK temperature map dated 14.02 showing widespread subzero values in blue shading, with readings such as −4 in Glasgow, −3 in Dublin, and −2 in London, alongside a blue thermometer icon.
Friday, 13 February 2026

Icy conditions

A frozen start to the weekend
Storm Chandra makes impact. Severe gales & heavy rain. . . Tuesday, 27 January 2026
Split image showing strong winds over the UK on a forecast map and widespread rain and snow on a weather radar map.
Tuesday, 27 January 2026

Severe gales & heavy rain

Storm Chandra makes impact
Long-term trends need a pinch of salt. 40 °C in July?. . . Tuesday, 30 June 2026
Temperature radar of 2022 heatwave where the all-time temperature record in the UK was set. Warning symbol overlain.
Tuesday, 30 June 2026

40 °C in July?

Long-term trends need a pinch of salt
All articles
Weather & Radar

Weather & Radar is also available on

Google Play StoreApp Store

Company

Contact us Privacy Policy Legal info Accessibility statement

Services

Uploader

Socials

facebooktwittertikToklinkList