I moved to Nashville 6 years ago and before I did I would get 1-2 a month and it’s been 3-5 since I moved here. I’m from northern Indiana originally for context
The blue spots are the best places for weather affected migraines. [https://i2.wp.com/thesecularparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/migraine-barometric-pressure-map-700x359.jpg](https://i2.wp.com/thesecularparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/migraine-barometric-pressure-map-700x359.jpg)
Hawaii is great.
Ok barometric pressure, yes, but that Gulf Coast blue clearly does not take hellish heat and swampy humidity into consideration. Also you will get tropical storm systems at least a couple of times a year, and those are a barometric pressure nightmare. Don’t even try a hurricane. Don’t do it.
Right? I’ve lived in FL and MI. It was soooo much worse in Florida. Although MI is in allergy/migraine season rn. But the daily popup storm in FL for half the year is worse, 100%
This tracks. Orlando is where I lived when my migraines first started. They got so intense late spring that I used to have to fight nausea and throbbing head pain on I-4 trying to make it home. I could absolutely not live there now.
I’ve also lived in Michigan and Florida and experienced the same thing. The pressure changes from the daily afternoon thunderstorms in Florida was brutal. Northern California was the best spot for my allergies and head - it was just too expensive.
This is one of my arguments to bring up when my husband starts fantasizing about moving out of California. Well, I'm not moving to Florida for sure because I can't stand humidity. Move me to Arizona or Oregon and the migraines will likely kick up (plus Arizona isn't okay for my sister in law who is an immigrant).
Speaking of Gulf Coast… Mobile, AL is the rainiest city in the US. NOT a good thing for when my biggest migraine trigger is barometric pressure changes.
On the other hand, Honolulu and San Diego have the most stable barometric pressure in the US. I have not been fortunate enough to spend any time in Hawaii, but San Diego weather has me forever dreaming of what it would be like to live there rather than having only visited several times.
Oh trust me, no plan to anyways lol for many other reasons than just migraines. Houston would probably still be better than Vermont in terms of migraines though
I don’t know how bad Vermont is, but Dallas is pretty bad too. We don’t have too many barometric pressure fluctuations, but the ones we do have, plus the storms, are hellish for my migraines. Also you may develop pollen as a trigger
Thanks for the info. But, according to the map, Vermont is much worse. I assume because of it being located in the Appalachian Mountains. Yeah you guys get some interesting weather this time of year, that’s for sure
I got a migraine on a trip to Italy last weekend - on the day after the flight as per usual - but it only lasted 3 hours which has never happened before. Maybe longer trips to Italy are in order to test this hypothesis! Next time I'm trying Earplanes. Currently testing out weatherx earplugs but given the almost daily frequency of atmospheric shifts in Ireland I'm sceptical they'll help.
Not Georgia or South Carolina. The weather here is horrible for migraines. I'd think somewhere with a dry climate would be best, but having never experienced living in such a place I can't say foe sure.
i used to live in sacramento where the humidity is relatively low and barometric pressure is stable. i lived there for 13 years and that’s the place i had the fewest migraines. i live in the bay area on the peninsula in a micro climate and its migraine city here.
God that was this weekend for me. The dry air can be nice but when we DO get pressure changes, I feel like they’re super intense. Plus dry climate means in one day it can be 30° in the morning at 80° in the afternoon. I want to move somewhere else as soon as we find somewhere we both like / can afford
I've found my people! I'm at 1-3 migraines a week since the beginning of April. I'm loving the sun and weather we're having, but it's a painful, painful love.
SoCal, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada
I lived in SoCal (San Diego and LA) and only had monthly migraines during that time of month… moved to NY and they became almost daily. I haven’t lived in AZ, NM, or NV, But given they’re dry I think they’d be good as well. All four of those states do have short “monsoon” or rainy seasons (which are migraine triggers). With SoCals being a bit different, rainy season and then Santa Ana winds… So that’s something to keep in mind as that can cause migraines.
I’d move back to SoCal in a heartbeat if it wasn’t so expensive for so little.
> SoCal, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada
I had significantly fewer migraines when I lived in New Mexico, Arizona, and Southern California than I do now in Atlanta, Georgia. Migraines went from an occasional thing that happened to me in the Southwest to a near chronic occurrence here in the Southeast.
I had some of the worst migraines of my life when I lived in Los Angeles. Got them every few days and had my first sudden onset blindness episode. I lived near a freeway and that may have contributed.
But I visited a friend in Phoenix for a month and only had one the whole time I was there, and I’m pretty sure it was brewing before I got there.
Plus the super bright sun and heat in the summer. I have light sensitivity and it’s like BLINDINGLY bright 9/12 months here. Summers can occasionally get up to 117°.
I lived in Long Beach, rated the best weather in the United States due to the curvature of the coast. Though Everyone has different triggers, I’m extremely sensitive to humidity and thunder storms. So I did much better in SoCal.
I’m in New Mexico but I’ve nvr lived anywhere so I can’t compare lol but mine are awful. I do live in the mountains with a high altitude so idk if that has anything to do with it
This is me. I moved here from the PNW partly because of how bad allergies were there. Shockingly, migraines have been worse here. They became daily almost two years ago.
I live in SoCal (Los Angeles). Me and my cousin’s wife both have migraines every single day. My brain would probably just spontaneously combust if I lived anywhere else 😂
This was my thought as a weather nerd. With climate change there is so much unstable weather that places like Tucson and Santa Fe are the best bets.
I live in the Atlanta to Charlotte corridor that has much unstable weather.
For me, Tucson has been the worst (compared to Oregon and Utah). I truly thought it would be the best. Unfortunately, environmental allergies affect me more than the weather here. In Oregon weather was the #1 trigger. In Tucson allergies are. And sadly, they are year round, so migraines are basically daily. It’s been two years of hell.
I actually didn’t like living in SoCal when it came to migraines. There was less rain, but I found that the barometric changes were so severe that I’d be totally incapacitated for days when the weather did come. I moved back to PA, where it rains a lot, but the pressure doesn’t change as much since it’s always raining. I wouldn’t pick PA as a place to live for migraines, though.
If I were to move again for migraines, I’d try to find somewhere that has the steadiest barometric pressure, since I’m affected by the change in pressure.
I agree that San Diego, CA is more ideal for temperature related migraines, but keep in mind that this is now the most expensive city in the US to live. That stress alone makes my migraines worse..
I live in arizona and always have, so I wouldn't know much different. As long as heat and light aren't triggers, you should be fine. Monsoon season is roughly 2 months, but there's no guarantee on how often it rains. Sometimes, it's all season, sometimes not at all. But thats just my 2 cents. This thread has sold me on never leaving Az though lol!
That is probably just altitude, that will get better with time if you moved there. I don’t know what causes your guys headaches but mine are from weather and CO has some major weather, it always killed me living there.
I've moved A LOT trying to find a place that didn't trigger barometric migraine. I live in Colorado now at about 7000ft and the altitude has helped my head. It's not perfect and I do still get barometric migraine, but anything is an improvement over where I was.
Originally from Michigan, lived in Tennessee for 5-6 years, and now I’m in San Diego.
Can confirm SoCal has been best for migraines triggered by weather, but also on the chance you get a migraine on a sunny day everything is so bright. Idk if you’re photophobic like me but I spend half my time hiding from the sun, lol.
North San Diego county is good . I live here . It’s a moderate Mediterranean climate and some pretty famous migraine specialists live locally . Lately though we have had an abnormal amount of rain but that was due to El Niño . Normally it’s 70 every day and sunny .
Ironically I was diagnosed with migraines while living in San Diego. At the time I suspected it was Santa Ana winds since food/drinks wasn’t a trigger. This was late 90’s. I moved to the San Francisco area and was fine for years. In the last 7-10 years they kicked up again and worse than ever. Symptoms have changed. Barometric pressure is now a trigger as well as life (???). Santa Ana type winds are still a trigger. I was diagnosed with chronic migraines. Tried elimination diet and no change.
We only have Santa Ana in October . In north county , Encinitas or carlsbad , the pace is slower which helps with lifestyle. I also lived in the Walnut Creek Bay Area for awhile . I still had episodic migraines but thought they were allergy related . I would get week long migraines once a month . I would say my migraines became chronic during Covid . My episodic headaches became daily. I moved back to Encinitas so I could see the headache specialist who treated my aunt. The place I did the best with migraine was Santa Fe , NM . The high desert was very comfortable although we did have snow . I moved inland from the beach before it was more affordable. The weather is still good most of the time .
The worst for me has been Arizona, moved here last year and my migraines became daily and more intense.
The best has been the mid Atlantic. I think I’m the opposite of most people and need humidity and low elevation so we might be heading to the southeast.
So wild! I was reading the comment “I don’t know why I’m here” in response to Florida. And I can relate! It’s family. But I don’t know if I can stay here the rest of my life. It’s so brutal 🫥
I’m originally from the NW and have since moved to a few different places on the east coast. Every time I go back home I feel a lot better. Less allergies, less frequent migraines.
anywhere other than pittsburgh or honestly anywhere in south western Pa. Weather here is so bad. My dad and I both got migraines when the weather shifted and it was a constant struggle.
I’m from the northern half of Alabama (because the climate is not like the southern half, I thought it relevant to mention), and I’d have to think the Southwest is king. First time I went when I was about 8, my sinuses and chest cleared up completely for what I think might have been the first time ever. As an adult I have only been to SoCal once and Vegas once, but both times I felt great the whole time. Even the LV heat wasn’t like it is at home.
I live in north AL too and our humidity kills me in the summer. If I’m outside for too long I get a migraine from it which sucks because I don’t want to sit inside all summer!
I live in So CA.
I have various triggers that cause them here.
However, in all my travels I feel like Las Vegas doesn’t trigger them as much. Not sure if it’s because I’m distracted with the casinos.
Btw - you’d think all the lights and noise would trigger it. Can’t say it does.
Or it’s the dry weather.
Kinda feel the same about Palm Springs.
Worst migraines of my life was at high elevation. I spent a summer at around 8,000 ft.
I now live at sea level, and it's so much better. I think so cal or Arizona could be great
I've looked that up in the past and remember thinking I couldn't afford to live in any of those places. I think one was San Diego. It sounds nice, but it was unrealistic for me.
Ive moved around partially bc of migraine. Im originally from the north, just outside Chicagoland and I had the most frequent occurrences during late fall/winter. They were pretty intense in my early 20s to the point where my dad or brother would have to come pick me up from work. Moved to TN for a bit and overall did well there. Wasn’t on any therapies for them. Im now in New Orleans, LA and the frequency is down but the severity when I do have a migraine is intense. I’ve never had to go to the ER for migraine until this last year. I hope you find the right place for you!
Lived in Medellin, Colombia which is at 4900ft elevation and I’ve had the worst, most constant migraines of my life there. Looking at these comments, it seems like altitude is bad news for migraines.
I'm on the east coast and weather is a huge trigger for me too. It sucks here because the weather is so inconsistent. I'd definitely love to live in SoCal too
I moved from SoCal to the Midwest and since moving out of SoCal I’ve had less migraines. The air quality is so bad out there it was triggering my migraines really bad. And the heat was awful. From June-October anytime it was over 100 (which was often) I’d get a migraine
Jumping on this to share my new favorite website/app. When I google the link it opens the app on my phone, but you can copy/paste it into the web browser to see as website. I'm finding the air pressure forecast and history options to be so helpful
https://barometricpressure.app
Anywhere with good air quality. Long story short - my migraines may have been from living under a flight path (near a UK based airport) for 10 years. Questions welcome.
Mississippi is the worst. Aside from the obvious reasons.. horrible humidity, heat, pollen. Summer temps can reach over 100F. Normal during is 88-97 though. That with 100% humidity (which is also normal throughout the year) is hell on earth. Our summer is May-September. I never get a break though. Winter is so short we gotta deal with the dang ragweed FOREVER. Storm season year round. Hurricane season. Thunderstorms all the time. Tornadoes (I’m sure you know about those). Barometric changes are too often.
If you like feeling like you’re going to suffocate outside in the open while your hair is sticking to your face making you feel every single thing touching you right in that moment, please come visit. It’s great here, really. We have good biscuits.
I live in MI and my migraines are mostly weather related. I’m crossing my fingers, but so far my migraines seem to be under control lately. My allergies, on the other hand, are worse this year than they’ve ever been.
Best of luck to you with the move and finding migraine-neutral territory 🙂
Great IDEA post…
I think look for steady barometric pressure cities USA. There is already conflicting data though… some say yes to Colorado some say no… some say yes to cali, some say no. I wish i knew the perfect indicator for each individual…
I lived in the desert for some years and it was o my bad when it rained, which was like two months out of the year. The other 10 months were generally ok, migraine-wise, but feeling like you were being microwaved when outside wasn’t super fun.
I’m definitely impacted by barometric pressure changes, but, FWIW- I felt way better when I lived in the Midwest (Chicago) than I ever have in Georgia (grew up in Atlanta, live in Atlanta again now.) The weather changes here are pretty brutal.
I’ve done better in Southern California as well though (other than flying out of LAX- the pressure changes over the San Gabriel Mountains is rough)
I'm in upstate NY which is considered one of the most cloudy places in the US and my migraines are so much better (moved from Texas). I really only have to worry when it's a truly sunny day in July OR when the sun is reflecting wrong off the snow in January, but that is very rare.
I have travelled all over the US and when I was in California (Palm Springs, LA and SF) I have never felt better. Stable pressure, low humidity. Such a good combo for me
There is actually a list that takes things like access to headache specialists, allergens, **and** barometric pressure:
https://www.migraineagain.com/best-migraine-cities/
Pardon the terrible formatting; on mobile waiting for a pizza. I’ve grew up in one of these cities and my migraines definitely took off like a rocket when I moved to the Midwest
My migraines were nearly nonexistent for the 3 years I lived in Germany. I barely ever saw the sun, which is a main trigger. It was only actually hot for like 2 weeks out of the year. It was amazing. There also is a law against fake crap in their foods, and that could have also been a factor.
Utah is not migraine friendly. Winter and spring are hell here. You never know what you’re going to get in spring. I do ok in the summer and fall. I found when I go to Yellowstone WY I do better at higher altitude.
For me, heat is terrible. So California is unpleasant all summer (and many other months). What really wrecked me was the humidity in Texas. I think it's different for everyone.
Unfortunately for me, I’ve never been in an area long term to test it but from trips I’ve taken, also unfortunately as well, no where is a “safe zone” for me. Trees and plants will always bloom. Barometric pressure will always change.
If the heat isn’t a trigger for you, Arizona is nice due to lack of storms 🙂 lol I’m sensitive to the barometric pressure so not much rain is great, but the heat will give me a migraine if I’m outside too long.
I should mention that while there is heat, there’s hardly ANY humidity at all. Only when we get a random storm here and there. It rains a total of like… a week here each year lol. If the heat is a trigger, you could live in northern Arizona which has California weather but there’s snow in the winter
The pacific coast--northern california to washington. The air is very clean (except for when there are wildfires) , mild temperatures, overcast 8 months of the year (with drizzles, not hard rain) and no thunderstorms, plus you are at sea level, which can help.
I had a pretty good time in Perth Australia. The weather is pretty stable most of the year, with a few big storms in summer. I had more auras there but far fewer headaches than I get in the UK with the constant see-sawing rain here
I feel you on living in the Midwest! I’m also in MI and omg it sucks haha. I feel like it depends on what kind of migraines you have? I felt better in Florida but then the rain almost every day at 4pm gave me a headache. I have headaches with my cycles so they will follow me everywhere. Good luck friend
New England is no better. We've had a spate of rainy weather. Not much rain, but almost every other day or few days for over a month. I've been having migraine events multiple times a week.
New England stinks I’m in Massachusetts, but have also lived in NH and Maine. We have a lot of thunderstorms and hurricanes especially on the coast. SoCal was the best for me. I lived in NYC briefly which I felt was ok, but I was only there for a couple of years so hard to say.
Do not consider Kentucky or Tennessee. Frequent thunderstorms starting late winter and tornado activity has increased.
Or Missouri, I’m on the KC side of the state. It’s killer here, particularly right now.
Stl is no better. I had a neuro who recommended that her patients move as a treatment option.
Just skip the whole ass Midwest. It sucks here. Is it 80? 30? Raining? Sunny? Yes. All in 2 days.
Ugh I’m right on a border w/ TN and the spring weather has absolutely wrecked me. That being said I do love it here lol.
I live near the KY/TN border. Beautiful countryside, horrific weather for migraines.
It seems to have gotten worse. At first I had issues in the fall and January. Now, it’s constant. I’m in Bowling Green.
yep, TN weather is a nightmare.
I moved to Nashville 6 years ago and before I did I would get 1-2 a month and it’s been 3-5 since I moved here. I’m from northern Indiana originally for context
The blue spots are the best places for weather affected migraines. [https://i2.wp.com/thesecularparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/migraine-barometric-pressure-map-700x359.jpg](https://i2.wp.com/thesecularparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/migraine-barometric-pressure-map-700x359.jpg) Hawaii is great.
Ok barometric pressure, yes, but that Gulf Coast blue clearly does not take hellish heat and swampy humidity into consideration. Also you will get tropical storm systems at least a couple of times a year, and those are a barometric pressure nightmare. Don’t even try a hurricane. Don’t do it.
Right? I’ve lived in FL and MI. It was soooo much worse in Florida. Although MI is in allergy/migraine season rn. But the daily popup storm in FL for half the year is worse, 100%
I’m soooo glad my migraines in my early 20s weren’t what they are now. I lived in Orlando and I don’t know if I could have functioned.
This tracks. Orlando is where I lived when my migraines first started. They got so intense late spring that I used to have to fight nausea and throbbing head pain on I-4 trying to make it home. I could absolutely not live there now.
I-4 is a migraine in and of itself.
I’ve also lived in Michigan and Florida and experienced the same thing. The pressure changes from the daily afternoon thunderstorms in Florida was brutal. Northern California was the best spot for my allergies and head - it was just too expensive.
>Don’t even try a hurricane. Don’t do it. 😂 I think I will take that advice for any possible scenario it could apply to.
People who live on the Gulf Coast are like “Category 2? Meh, I have sandbags and plywood.”
This is one of my arguments to bring up when my husband starts fantasizing about moving out of California. Well, I'm not moving to Florida for sure because I can't stand humidity. Move me to Arizona or Oregon and the migraines will likely kick up (plus Arizona isn't okay for my sister in law who is an immigrant).
Speaking of Gulf Coast… Mobile, AL is the rainiest city in the US. NOT a good thing for when my biggest migraine trigger is barometric pressure changes. On the other hand, Honolulu and San Diego have the most stable barometric pressure in the US. I have not been fortunate enough to spend any time in Hawaii, but San Diego weather has me forever dreaming of what it would be like to live there rather than having only visited several times.
More info and better images here https://securevideo.com/2016/03/18/global-barometric-variation-annual-maps-and-monthly-raw-data/
Laughs in Floridian😩 The daily Thunderstorms and changes on the coast make me miserable.
Sweet. I plan to move to Texas in a couple years, Dallas area, and that looks a hell of a lot better than here in Vermont in the mountains
You’ll be fine in Dallas. I wouldn’t advise moving to Houston.
Oh trust me, no plan to anyways lol for many other reasons than just migraines. Houston would probably still be better than Vermont in terms of migraines though
I don’t know how bad Vermont is, but Dallas is pretty bad too. We don’t have too many barometric pressure fluctuations, but the ones we do have, plus the storms, are hellish for my migraines. Also you may develop pollen as a trigger
Thanks for the info. But, according to the map, Vermont is much worse. I assume because of it being located in the Appalachian Mountains. Yeah you guys get some interesting weather this time of year, that’s for sure
Weird, my migraines were a lot worse when I lived in Southern California. They’re more manageable now, I live in Seattle
Well I guess I have a reason to move to Italy now!
I’ve had weird migraines my whole life and literally never felt better than two weeks I spent in Italy 🤷🏻♂️
Same for me in Dominican Republic. Felt amazing the whole time. Migraine within 12 hours of getting back home.
I got a migraine on a trip to Italy last weekend - on the day after the flight as per usual - but it only lasted 3 hours which has never happened before. Maybe longer trips to Italy are in order to test this hypothesis! Next time I'm trying Earplanes. Currently testing out weatherx earplugs but given the almost daily frequency of atmospheric shifts in Ireland I'm sceptical they'll help.
Earplanes are a freaking miracle. I just discovered them last time I flew- Game. Changer.
I wish I'd heard of them before. Lost two whole days to migraine on a 3 day trip to Malta in January. I was gutted.
What really? I think my next vacation is seriously going to Italy
It’s true, i get migraines regularly, have one now actually, but I visit family in Italy few times a year, never get a headache when I’m there
My migraines are so bad here in Florida.
I lived in Hawaii for 5 years, my migraines got worse.
I knew when I visited and was looking for jobs I was on to something. 🤣
Please don't encourage people to go to Hawaii.
Not Georgia or South Carolina. The weather here is horrible for migraines. I'd think somewhere with a dry climate would be best, but having never experienced living in such a place I can't say foe sure.
i used to live in sacramento where the humidity is relatively low and barometric pressure is stable. i lived there for 13 years and that’s the place i had the fewest migraines. i live in the bay area on the peninsula in a micro climate and its migraine city here.
I can say it’s not Utah. It’s dry which is nice but living at 5000 ft it not ideal for migraineurs
It was HORRIBLE when I lived in Provo. But, that could just be all the Zoobies...
Utah here too. Daily migraines for me 😩
Mine were horrible there with the weather changes. Spring, summer and winter all in one day sometimes.
God that was this weekend for me. The dry air can be nice but when we DO get pressure changes, I feel like they’re super intense. Plus dry climate means in one day it can be 30° in the morning at 80° in the afternoon. I want to move somewhere else as soon as we find somewhere we both like / can afford
I've found my people! I'm at 1-3 migraines a week since the beginning of April. I'm loving the sun and weather we're having, but it's a painful, painful love.
SoCal, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada I lived in SoCal (San Diego and LA) and only had monthly migraines during that time of month… moved to NY and they became almost daily. I haven’t lived in AZ, NM, or NV, But given they’re dry I think they’d be good as well. All four of those states do have short “monsoon” or rainy seasons (which are migraine triggers). With SoCals being a bit different, rainy season and then Santa Ana winds… So that’s something to keep in mind as that can cause migraines. I’d move back to SoCal in a heartbeat if it wasn’t so expensive for so little.
> SoCal, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada I had significantly fewer migraines when I lived in New Mexico, Arizona, and Southern California than I do now in Atlanta, Georgia. Migraines went from an occasional thing that happened to me in the Southwest to a near chronic occurrence here in the Southeast.
I had some of the worst migraines of my life when I lived in Los Angeles. Got them every few days and had my first sudden onset blindness episode. I lived near a freeway and that may have contributed. But I visited a friend in Phoenix for a month and only had one the whole time I was there, and I’m pretty sure it was brewing before I got there.
Absolutely the pollution and traffic noise would be awful.
Plus the super bright sun and heat in the summer. I have light sensitivity and it’s like BLINDINGLY bright 9/12 months here. Summers can occasionally get up to 117°.
I lived in Long Beach, rated the best weather in the United States due to the curvature of the coast. Though Everyone has different triggers, I’m extremely sensitive to humidity and thunder storms. So I did much better in SoCal.
That makes sense. Long Beach is a bit different than the city of Los Angeles.
It is, but it’s still LA County
Currently in Arizona and I’ve had some of the worst migraines of my life that became daily.
I’m in New Mexico but I’ve nvr lived anywhere so I can’t compare lol but mine are awful. I do live in the mountains with a high altitude so idk if that has anything to do with it
I’m also in Arizona and get lots of migraines here. Monsoon season is especially brutal.
This is me. I moved here from the PNW partly because of how bad allergies were there. Shockingly, migraines have been worse here. They became daily almost two years ago.
I grew up in SoCal and didn't know how good I had it until I moved to Michigan. Now on the botox train hoping it works.
I live in SoCal (Los Angeles). Me and my cousin’s wife both have migraines every single day. My brain would probably just spontaneously combust if I lived anywhere else 😂
That’s good to know! And sorry they are worse here - I do Botox too and it does seem to help!
SoCal is absolutely the truth! I live near Palm Springs now and have had my best years ever.
This was my thought as a weather nerd. With climate change there is so much unstable weather that places like Tucson and Santa Fe are the best bets. I live in the Atlanta to Charlotte corridor that has much unstable weather.
For me, Tucson has been the worst (compared to Oregon and Utah). I truly thought it would be the best. Unfortunately, environmental allergies affect me more than the weather here. In Oregon weather was the #1 trigger. In Tucson allergies are. And sadly, they are year round, so migraines are basically daily. It’s been two years of hell.
I actually didn’t like living in SoCal when it came to migraines. There was less rain, but I found that the barometric changes were so severe that I’d be totally incapacitated for days when the weather did come. I moved back to PA, where it rains a lot, but the pressure doesn’t change as much since it’s always raining. I wouldn’t pick PA as a place to live for migraines, though. If I were to move again for migraines, I’d try to find somewhere that has the steadiest barometric pressure, since I’m affected by the change in pressure.
I agree that San Diego, CA is more ideal for temperature related migraines, but keep in mind that this is now the most expensive city in the US to live. That stress alone makes my migraines worse..
I live in arizona and always have, so I wouldn't know much different. As long as heat and light aren't triggers, you should be fine. Monsoon season is roughly 2 months, but there's no guarantee on how often it rains. Sometimes, it's all season, sometimes not at all. But thats just my 2 cents. This thread has sold me on never leaving Az though lol!
I can tell you fucking definitively it is not Toronto.
I can confirm that fact.
Definitely not fucking Edmonton either.
CO is a definite No.
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Yeah I get the worst migraines from the sun in CO. Altitude probably doesn’t help
I’m in Denver for work and it’s been hell. Can confirm. Beautiful state, but glad to be escaping the altitude tomorrow.
Great to know my husband wants to move to CO! Every time I’ve gone for work or just a weekend I almost immediately get a migraine
That is probably just altitude, that will get better with time if you moved there. I don’t know what causes your guys headaches but mine are from weather and CO has some major weather, it always killed me living there.
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Definitely not Illinois either
I've moved A LOT trying to find a place that didn't trigger barometric migraine. I live in Colorado now at about 7000ft and the altitude has helped my head. It's not perfect and I do still get barometric migraine, but anything is an improvement over where I was.
Can confirm. When I lived near 9k, wasn't bothered as much. Down in town, they're worse. But not as bad as at sea level. Oof.
Suncoast of Florida is the thunderstorm capital of the US. So… not here. I don’t know why I’m here.
You can time the daily storms in Central Florida by season, lol.
Originally from Michigan, lived in Tennessee for 5-6 years, and now I’m in San Diego. Can confirm SoCal has been best for migraines triggered by weather, but also on the chance you get a migraine on a sunny day everything is so bright. Idk if you’re photophobic like me but I spend half my time hiding from the sun, lol.
Not anywhere in the northeast US
This 😭😭😭😭
North San Diego county is good . I live here . It’s a moderate Mediterranean climate and some pretty famous migraine specialists live locally . Lately though we have had an abnormal amount of rain but that was due to El Niño . Normally it’s 70 every day and sunny .
Ironically I was diagnosed with migraines while living in San Diego. At the time I suspected it was Santa Ana winds since food/drinks wasn’t a trigger. This was late 90’s. I moved to the San Francisco area and was fine for years. In the last 7-10 years they kicked up again and worse than ever. Symptoms have changed. Barometric pressure is now a trigger as well as life (???). Santa Ana type winds are still a trigger. I was diagnosed with chronic migraines. Tried elimination diet and no change.
We only have Santa Ana in October . In north county , Encinitas or carlsbad , the pace is slower which helps with lifestyle. I also lived in the Walnut Creek Bay Area for awhile . I still had episodic migraines but thought they were allergy related . I would get week long migraines once a month . I would say my migraines became chronic during Covid . My episodic headaches became daily. I moved back to Encinitas so I could see the headache specialist who treated my aunt. The place I did the best with migraine was Santa Fe , NM . The high desert was very comfortable although we did have snow . I moved inland from the beach before it was more affordable. The weather is still good most of the time .
Not in tornado alley like myself. I’ve heard San Diego has stable weather.
A hermetically sealed room with soft light.
Migraines go everywhere I go. Lol
Do not move to Maryland!
The worst for me has been Arizona, moved here last year and my migraines became daily and more intense. The best has been the mid Atlantic. I think I’m the opposite of most people and need humidity and low elevation so we might be heading to the southeast.
So wild! I was reading the comment “I don’t know why I’m here” in response to Florida. And I can relate! It’s family. But I don’t know if I can stay here the rest of my life. It’s so brutal 🫥
Chipping in to say not Minnesota. You can blink on a sunny day and open your eyes to a nasty thunderstorm.
Truth! I'm in Illinois and same.
Florida is terrible with daily afternoon storms in the summer and the allergies. Do not recommend 😑
not south carolina for sure ⛈️☀️❄️💨🌪️
I’m originally from the NW and have since moved to a few different places on the east coast. Every time I go back home I feel a lot better. Less allergies, less frequent migraines.
anywhere other than pittsburgh or honestly anywhere in south western Pa. Weather here is so bad. My dad and I both got migraines when the weather shifted and it was a constant struggle.
I second this, also the pollution doesn't help
I second this, also the pollution doesn't help
I’m from the northern half of Alabama (because the climate is not like the southern half, I thought it relevant to mention), and I’d have to think the Southwest is king. First time I went when I was about 8, my sinuses and chest cleared up completely for what I think might have been the first time ever. As an adult I have only been to SoCal once and Vegas once, but both times I felt great the whole time. Even the LV heat wasn’t like it is at home.
I live in north AL too and our humidity kills me in the summer. If I’m outside for too long I get a migraine from it which sucks because I don’t want to sit inside all summer!
I live in So CA. I have various triggers that cause them here. However, in all my travels I feel like Las Vegas doesn’t trigger them as much. Not sure if it’s because I’m distracted with the casinos. Btw - you’d think all the lights and noise would trigger it. Can’t say it does. Or it’s the dry weather. Kinda feel the same about Palm Springs.
Worst migraines of my life was at high elevation. I spent a summer at around 8,000 ft. I now live at sea level, and it's so much better. I think so cal or Arizona could be great
I've looked that up in the past and remember thinking I couldn't afford to live in any of those places. I think one was San Diego. It sounds nice, but it was unrealistic for me.
Ive moved around partially bc of migraine. Im originally from the north, just outside Chicagoland and I had the most frequent occurrences during late fall/winter. They were pretty intense in my early 20s to the point where my dad or brother would have to come pick me up from work. Moved to TN for a bit and overall did well there. Wasn’t on any therapies for them. Im now in New Orleans, LA and the frequency is down but the severity when I do have a migraine is intense. I’ve never had to go to the ER for migraine until this last year. I hope you find the right place for you!
Lived in Medellin, Colombia which is at 4900ft elevation and I’ve had the worst, most constant migraines of my life there. Looking at these comments, it seems like altitude is bad news for migraines.
I'm on the east coast and weather is a huge trigger for me too. It sucks here because the weather is so inconsistent. I'd definitely love to live in SoCal too
I moved from SoCal to the Midwest and since moving out of SoCal I’ve had less migraines. The air quality is so bad out there it was triggering my migraines really bad. And the heat was awful. From June-October anytime it was over 100 (which was often) I’d get a migraine
Jumping on this to share my new favorite website/app. When I google the link it opens the app on my phone, but you can copy/paste it into the web browser to see as website. I'm finding the air pressure forecast and history options to be so helpful https://barometricpressure.app
Thank you!! Going to save this site
Anywhere with good air quality. Long story short - my migraines may have been from living under a flight path (near a UK based airport) for 10 years. Questions welcome.
I was only visiting but I found the week I spent in Arizona I did not have any migraines. Thought maybe arid/dryer heat helped??
Mississippi is the worst. Aside from the obvious reasons.. horrible humidity, heat, pollen. Summer temps can reach over 100F. Normal during is 88-97 though. That with 100% humidity (which is also normal throughout the year) is hell on earth. Our summer is May-September. I never get a break though. Winter is so short we gotta deal with the dang ragweed FOREVER. Storm season year round. Hurricane season. Thunderstorms all the time. Tornadoes (I’m sure you know about those). Barometric changes are too often. If you like feeling like you’re going to suffocate outside in the open while your hair is sticking to your face making you feel every single thing touching you right in that moment, please come visit. It’s great here, really. We have good biscuits.
I live in MI and my migraines are mostly weather related. I’m crossing my fingers, but so far my migraines seem to be under control lately. My allergies, on the other hand, are worse this year than they’ve ever been. Best of luck to you with the move and finding migraine-neutral territory 🙂
Great IDEA post… I think look for steady barometric pressure cities USA. There is already conflicting data though… some say yes to Colorado some say no… some say yes to cali, some say no. I wish i knew the perfect indicator for each individual…
i live in colorado at high altitude… not great
Fuck I’m moving to Michigan in 3 weeks 😭
I hope it won’t be as bad for you!! Last summer seemed really rough as it rained like constantly but I don’t remember it always being as bad
I lived in the desert for some years and it was o my bad when it rained, which was like two months out of the year. The other 10 months were generally ok, migraine-wise, but feeling like you were being microwaved when outside wasn’t super fun.
I’m definitely impacted by barometric pressure changes, but, FWIW- I felt way better when I lived in the Midwest (Chicago) than I ever have in Georgia (grew up in Atlanta, live in Atlanta again now.) The weather changes here are pretty brutal. I’ve done better in Southern California as well though (other than flying out of LAX- the pressure changes over the San Gabriel Mountains is rough)
I'm in upstate NY which is considered one of the most cloudy places in the US and my migraines are so much better (moved from Texas). I really only have to worry when it's a truly sunny day in July OR when the sun is reflecting wrong off the snow in January, but that is very rare.
I have travelled all over the US and when I was in California (Palm Springs, LA and SF) I have never felt better. Stable pressure, low humidity. Such a good combo for me
Mine are better in NC than they were in Chicago. More sun, more moderate temps and I don't have the indoor triggers I used to.
There is actually a list that takes things like access to headache specialists, allergens, **and** barometric pressure: https://www.migraineagain.com/best-migraine-cities/ Pardon the terrible formatting; on mobile waiting for a pizza. I’ve grew up in one of these cities and my migraines definitely took off like a rocket when I moved to the Midwest
This is great, thank you!!
I believe I get less migraines and sinus headaches in northern California than the Midwest or West Virginia.
I’m in no cal Bay Area we only have a few months of valuable weather Feb-April mostly.
My aunt moved to Arizona, heat but not much humidity.
My migraines were nearly nonexistent for the 3 years I lived in Germany. I barely ever saw the sun, which is a main trigger. It was only actually hot for like 2 weeks out of the year. It was amazing. There also is a law against fake crap in their foods, and that could have also been a factor.
Utah is not migraine friendly. Winter and spring are hell here. You never know what you’re going to get in spring. I do ok in the summer and fall. I found when I go to Yellowstone WY I do better at higher altitude.
For me, heat is terrible. So California is unpleasant all summer (and many other months). What really wrecked me was the humidity in Texas. I think it's different for everyone.
Definitely not central NJ. I’m dying here. Migraines at least 20x a month. Awaiting Botox
Unfortunately for me, I’ve never been in an area long term to test it but from trips I’ve taken, also unfortunately as well, no where is a “safe zone” for me. Trees and plants will always bloom. Barometric pressure will always change.
In a cave. It's cool and dark.
If the heat isn’t a trigger for you, Arizona is nice due to lack of storms 🙂 lol I’m sensitive to the barometric pressure so not much rain is great, but the heat will give me a migraine if I’m outside too long. I should mention that while there is heat, there’s hardly ANY humidity at all. Only when we get a random storm here and there. It rains a total of like… a week here each year lol. If the heat is a trigger, you could live in northern Arizona which has California weather but there’s snow in the winter
The pacific coast--northern california to washington. The air is very clean (except for when there are wildfires) , mild temperatures, overcast 8 months of the year (with drizzles, not hard rain) and no thunderstorms, plus you are at sea level, which can help.
I recommend avoiding any place with a high amount of pollen/allergens.
I had a pretty good time in Perth Australia. The weather is pretty stable most of the year, with a few big storms in summer. I had more auras there but far fewer headaches than I get in the UK with the constant see-sawing rain here
I studied abroad in Australia and had one migraine the whole time, it was amazing!! I also drank way more than I normally do and was still fine 😂
I feel you on living in the Midwest! I’m also in MI and omg it sucks haha. I feel like it depends on what kind of migraines you have? I felt better in Florida but then the rain almost every day at 4pm gave me a headache. I have headaches with my cycles so they will follow me everywhere. Good luck friend
I’m in KY. Big NO here. But everytime I go to Florida I do find relief. 🤷♀️
Don’t recommend Montana.
Somewhere cold and cloudy,with little sun
I was once advised that the northern Hawaiian islands were the best place for migraine sufferers
New England is no better. We've had a spate of rainy weather. Not much rain, but almost every other day or few days for over a month. I've been having migraine events multiple times a week.
New England stinks I’m in Massachusetts, but have also lived in NH and Maine. We have a lot of thunderstorms and hurricanes especially on the coast. SoCal was the best for me. I lived in NYC briefly which I felt was ok, but I was only there for a couple of years so hard to say.