ER visits for neurological conditions increase during stormy weather

Dependable forecasts of ER admissions aid healthcare providers and policymakers in the optimal allocation of human resources.

Emergency room (ER) visits for conditions such as stroke or brain haemorrhage increase on days with more unstable and stormy weather conditions, finds new study involving Corvinus University of Budapest researcher. These were days typically characterised by increased precipitation, strong winds, and fluctuating weather patterns.

Brigitta Szilágyi, Associate Professor from Corvinus University and Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME), alongside researchers from BME, Semmelweis University, and Jahn Ferenc South-Pest Hospital and Clinic, explored the correlation between weather patterns and the number of the ER visits due to neurological conditions using Péczely classifications: a typification procedure that characterises daily weather patterns.

The researchers analysed the medical data of 34,650 patients admitted to the ER with conditions such as stroke or brain haemorrhage between 2015 and 2019, and mathematically modelled relationships between weather types and neurological emergencies. A significant increase in ER visits was found on days classified as Péczely types 4 and 7; weather conditions on these days are typically cloudy, windy, and wet.

The researchers also built a predictive simulation model to estimate the expected patient load, which accurately predicted the volume of neurological patients arriving at the ER based on Péczely weather classifications.

"Dependable forecasts of ER admissions aid healthcare providers and policymakers in the optimal allocation of human resources. An accurate estimation of patient volume allows providers to foresee surges in demand and adjust staffing levels as needed. Furthermore, data from ER visits serve as a crucial resource for monitoring the quality of care, as they enable the tracking and analysis of metrics such as patient wait times, types of treatment administered, and visit outcomes," says Professor Brigitta Szilágyi.

These findings were published in the journal Heliyon and can be accessed here.

/ENDS

For more information, or to speak with Professor Brigitta Szilágyi, please contact Kyle Grizzell from BlueSky Education on +44 (0) 1582 790709 or kyle@bluesky-pr.com

About Corvinus University of Budapest
Corvinus University of Budapest is Hungary's leading university in the field of business, economics, and social sciences. Maintained by the Maecenas Universitatis Corvini Foundation, Corvinus University currently has around 8,000 students, including 2,000 international students. The school has close links with 170 partner universities worldwide and is regularly included in international higher education rankings. In 2025, Corvinus earned the 5 Palmes of Excellence award from Eduniversal and is the only university in Hungary in the field of economics to hold two international institutional accreditations (AMBA and AACSB).