# Weather.com allergy forecast graphics.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weather-com-allergy-forecast-graphics/722294>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 11, 2015, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weather-com-allergy-forecast-graphics/722294 "2015-06-11T21:56:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\
**Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weather-com-allergy-forecast-graphics/722294/1 "2015-06-11T21:56:58Z")

</div>

[Outdoor Allergy Tracker](http://www.weather.com/forecast/allergy/l/89712:4:US) has three graphics; pollen, mold and breathing. Pollen and mold are vaguely apparent. They at least purport to report a count of something. But I cannon find any definition of the ‘breathing’ graphic.  
Do you know what they mean? Do you know of a better site?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2015, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weather-com-allergy-forecast-graphics/722294/2 "2015-06-12T00:17:40Z")

</div>

Click the little blue question mark at the bottom right of the graphic.  
Breathing

Breathing Index levels are derived from many factors, such as wind, temperature, changes in temperature, precipitation, and humidity, to estimate the impact of weather on breathing comfort. Combinations of these factors may aggravate some respiratory ailments for weather- and allergy-sensitive individuals, or correlate to an increased chance for air stagnation.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2015, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weather-com-allergy-forecast-graphics/722294/3 "2015-06-12T01:01:57Z")

</div>

They’re apparently using completely different criteria than Accuweather does for their asthma forecast because [Weather.com](http://Weather.com) says that it’s good breathing weather here today, but Accuweather says it’s bad weather for asthmatics. My lungs side with Accuweather.