Buzz
Your nose: one moment it's letting in fresh scents and oxygen, the next it’s dripping like a leaky faucet. This becomes particularly obvious during winter. If you've felt your nose drip in freezing conditions, then you’ve experienced cold-induced rhinorrhea.
Rhinorrhea is the clinical term for a runny nose, and various factors can trigger it. When it comes to cold weather-related nasal drainage, there are two primary reasons: biology and physics.
From a bodily perspective, your nose works overtime when it’s chilly to ensure the air you breathe is safe for your lungs. Cold air tends to be dry, so the nose boosts its fluid output to humidify it. This extra moisture often results in excess mucus, which drips out rather than staying inside your nostrils.
The second factor is rooted in thermodynamics. A small portion of every exhale contains water vapor. This is easy to notice in freezing weather: When our warm breath hits the cold air, it condenses into a visible cloud of tiny droplets, letting us “see” our breath. This same process also plays a role in your runny nose. As the warm air in your nostrils meets the cold air, moisture collects into larger droplets that contribute to the mucus buildup.
Those who work out in the cold are particularly prone to a runny nose brought on by the chill. There's even a term for it—"skier’s nose" (which, let's face it, sounds far cooler than “snot-covered face syndrome”). If you're curious about other strange nasal behaviors, take a look at our Big Question about why one nostril gets stuffy at a time.
