Researchers have recently managed to find a link between dry winters and an outbreak of flu or influenza. It seems that rapid changes in absolute humidity and dry weather conditions could very well be an underlying cause of peaks hit by winter flu.

To reach at the conclusion, study researchers analyzed the absolute humidity conditions over a period of 31 long years throughout the United States, in order to come up with a mathematical model of influenza. The results revealed that various outbreaks of the condition came after a period of dry weather.

The dry weather period was found in 55-60% of the outbreaks.

The severity of the outbreak of flu, however, is dependent on other factors as well, which include the type of virus and its relative ability to cause a disease, and host factors like susceptibility and person-to-person interactions.

"The relationship is when you increase absolute humidity levels survival of the virus goes down. It might take an hour and the virus is dead while in winter it might be around for days floating in the air or on the desks and surface", said Researcher Jeffrey Shaman.