Originally Published by VerywellHealth
Cold season in the U.S. is typically fall and winter. It starts around late August and lasts into March or April.1 The virus group that causes most colds, rhinoviruses, is most active in these cooler months. As the weather warms up, the second most common cause of colds—non-polio enteroviruses—becomes more active. This is why you might occasionally develop a summer cold.
Everyone experiences colds differently. However, most colds progress through five stages. Colds start with the incubation stage, when the virus enters the body and multiplies. Early symptoms, such as a scratchy throat and fatigue, typically appear within one to three days and peak a few days later. In most cases, the cold will resolve within seven to 10 days.
What Months Can You Get a Cold?
You can get a cold any month of the year. However, when most people think of cold season, they think of fall and winter when the weather is chilly.
Colds are most common between late August to early April. That’s because rhinoviruses, the virus group responsible for the majority of colds, are most active during cooler months.
Over 200 viruses can cause the common cold, but they’re not all cold weather viruses. Some viruses, like non-polio enteroviruses, which are the second most common cause of cold, are most active in summer. These viruses cause 10 million to 15 million infections each year in the U.S.
What Are Seasonal Colds?
Seasonal colds are colds that occur when viral activity peaks. Almost half of cold and flu seasons between 1982 to 2016 peaked in February, followed by December then March.4 The timing of peak cold season can change each year based on which virus is going around, how the weather affects it, and how immune people are to it.
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