- FILE – People stroll past a blooming tree at Clark Botanic Garden in Albertson, New York on April 18, 2014. (Photo by J. Conrad Williams, Jr./Newsday RM via Getty Images)About Us
Signs of itchy throats and watery eyes are becoming all too familiar assweeps across a large portion of the Lower 48.
According to experts, tree pollen, which typically kicks off the season, has reached high and even extreme levels, especially in areas already several weeks into the annual event.
Communities around are reporting some of their highest pollen counts of the year, while recently recorded its highest-ever pollen level for the month of March.
, these extreme levels were triggered by a combination of trees, including Pine, Mulberry, Ash, Cedar, Hackberry, Sycamore and Oak.
The FOX Forecast Center points to dry, windy weather as a significant factor in how much pollen is circulating in the air, exacerbating symptoms for allergy sufferers.
Allergy specialists explain that the pollen cycle typically begins with trees, followed by grasses and finally weeds into the months.
The recent warm winter and spring have undoubtedly intensified the cycle, leading to higher concentrations of pollen over an extended area.
Further complicating matters, regions that have experienced extreme weather events – such as hurricanes in the or atmospheric river events in the have likely seen shifts in allergens, making the season rather unpredictable.
