Its one that I'm never sure of, so I can't really help. I think you know the drill though if its a change that lasts 48 hours its likely a relapse. Begin to keep a journal. I types a small note in my "symptom" calendar when I notice something unusual going on...I noticed an unusual headch that started on Sept 29. It developed into eye pain. I got a vision check last wek and I had lost color vision. Thinks just appeared a little blurrier...so I was like you, is this just the weather? But things had been strange since the 29tg of september & I had been writihg a brief sentance down each day. With confirmation that my color vision was going, the doc on call put me on 5 days of IV steroids with a taper. December 10th I have a follow up appointment with my regular doc. Where I believe I will bring my symptiom calendar with me to discuss all the symptoms I had Since Sept 29. One morning I had double vision until I stared at things and they went single. Thats not a relapse, it happened on morning while I got orientated and clear4ed the "sleep" out of my eyes. But it is written in my symptom journal & I will be relieved to tell her it happened. Ther is noting she can do, I did what could be done with the steroids. It wasn't a "reportable" symptom on its own, the color vision loss was. But the double vision was kind of scary...like NOW WHAT!

I posted a while back for ideas for computer calendars that could be used an it was suggested google calendar. I use Microsoft works. Were I can have multiple calendars. Omn calendar my normal calendar An a second one I call my side calendar. Somtimes when I notice something strange going on, I will write a sentance in my symptom calendars. I don't do that every day, just when I notice something unusual. Many times it turns out to be nothing, but this time it turned out to be something. It took me 3 weeks to figure it ouit & when I reported it I had all the dates it started. On September 29 I had this strange headache, I just slept alot. About a weelk late my eye started hurting. The headache was less sever, but it was still there and now my eye hurt. So I got a vision check to see if I had eye strain going on and during the eye test I missed most of the color numbers and that hadn't happened before. I called & reported it and the doc an call ordered steroids...but there have been many occassions that I jotted down a sentance and it never ended up being anything. But if it had, I had it marked when it started. I don't always put a note in my symptom journal ever day. That gets to obsessive for me. But I might write a week later that my legs started hurting on Monday & still do.
And make an entry a week later, they don't bother me anymore or still they hurt...

Microsoft works is a good calendar for me to do this in. Google gadgets looked like they had similar calendars. I print out my calendar once a month because my computer has lost it in the past & the info is valuable enough to save IMO.
Look hor patterns. GBut be careful not to get too obsessive about a symptomn journal. Just record when you notice something is different & see wher it goes from there.

I don't use google gadgets calendars, because I'm happy with Microsoft works, google gagets looks like it may be complixcate, but if I lose Microsoft works I would go to google gadgets. Microsoft works is a better symptom calendar, give room for descriptions not just events. I would even buy Microsoft works. It came bundeled when I bought my computer. Its the one for me now.

http://www.google.com/ig/directory?synd=open&cat=tools

I notice that changes in the weather can efffect some of my symptoms but then is it truly the weather or is it worsening of the MS? I'm with you I'm not sure either. My relapses have started to run together so I'm not sure if I'm relapsing or what might be going on. One thing is for sure...MS is a frustrating disease!

A Neuro once told me a relapse is loss of strength for a period of time other than temporary, a few hours or a day. Weather impacts me too. As many will suggest always talk to your Neuro. Tell your Neuro that you want an infusion for a few days. It can't hurt.

I blamed a relapse on the weather. That was one of tose hindsight things I thought I had been really foolish. I was having difficulty walking, I blamed it on the weather, in true MS RR fashion it did clear up...but after it cleared up stability I realized that MS is very temperature dependent and when I suspected the weather, I should have attempted a little time considering if I had the symptoms BOTH in the outside & in inside my temperature controlled home. I had walking difficulty in both. It did not clear up when I was cooled. That should have tipped me off earlier to the fact that it was a real relapse and not from the weather. Now I'm very cognizant that if its the weather it improves with weather conditions. I learned that on hindsight looking at a past situation, but I hope to use that fact next time I suspect the weather. I hope the thought helps you to figure out what it is.

I don't have that much experience with MS, but with crohn's disease I noticed that I tended to get sick as the seasons changed. I don't know if it is the same with MS but they are both autoimmune diseases.

One reason that things might get worse as the seasons change for me is because when it's going from fall to winter it's time for exams, same with winter to spring. Also, it's getting closer to Christmas, there is a lot more to be stressed about... the cold, what to get people, setting up etc. In the spring it is tax and rrsp season.... and again exam time.