How Long Does Pollen Season Last
As winter melts away into spring, the days become longer and sunnier. Trees, plants, and shrubs that have spent all winter bereft of leaves are using the newfound head and stored energy to grow and change. It is around this time in the Northern Hemisphere, around March or April, to be precise, that the season officially starts. In most temperate areas, this season lasts up to seven months.
According to the Cleveland Clinic and the expertise of allergist-immunologist David M. Lang, MD, pollen seasons come in different stages. For instance, tree pollen generally begins in March or April, while grass pollen arises in the middle of May, and ragweed shows up from August on.
When Is The Grass Pollen Season
In northern regions of the United States, grasses usually pollinate in the late spring or early summer. In southern regions, grasses may pollinate throughout many seasons and could trigger symptoms throughout the year.
These small, light and dry grass pollen grains are released into the air and can travel for hundreds of miles by the wind.
Atlantic Canada: New Brunswick Nova Scotia Prince Edward Island Newfoundland And Labrador
Spring will feature the typical temperature swings along with near to above-normal precipitation to the region. For the most part this should not affect pollen levels in a drastic way. Pollen levels will be in the low range for a while as the temperatures warm but expect the pollen season to be longer than normal in the area for 2020.
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This article is based on an interview conducted by The Weather Network with Dr. David Fischer, an allergist/immunologist and Adjunct Professor at Western University. He is also past president of Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
This article is based on an interview conducted by The Weather Network with Dawn Jurgens, director of operations at Aerobiology Research Laboratories in Ottawa.
This article is based on an interview conducted by The Weather Network with Kelly Sonnenburg, meteorologist at The Weather Network.
How To Stay Ahead Of Allergy Season
First: If you’ve felt symptoms before but haven’t been officially diagnosed with allergies, it may help to pay attention to those specific patterns. So if you’ve felt lousy for the last few years around March and have experienced the same symptoms—whether this is a runny nose, sneezing, congestion, or itchy or watery eyes—it’s probably a good call to make an appointment with an allergist before the next allergy season starts.
“If you always think you have a cold in March but remember having three of the same symptoms last year, you may have allergies,” Janna Tuck, MD, an ACAAI spokesperson and allergist in Santa Fe, New Mexico, tells Health.
For regular allergy sufferers, the goal is to prevent allergic reactions before they happen. A few ways you can be prepared for the season is by keeping an eye on pollen counts and, if you’re traveling, to keep an eye on potential pollen counts in your destination town or city.
And, while seasonal allergies—whether they come in the form of a stuffed nose, itchy eyes, or constant sneezing—aren’t life-threatening, you can have severe symptoms if you also have asthma.
“Allergy symptoms can be quite severe for asthma sufferers,” says Dr. Tuck. “If you have asthma and have difficulty breathing or are coughing a lot, that’s another important reason to see a specialist, get tested, and get on a good treatment plan that might include regular allergy shots—the one thing that prevents asthma attacks stemming from your allergies.”
What Makes Allergy Season Worse
While the timing and severity of allergy season varies across the country, can influence exposure and symptoms:
- Temperature. Mild winter temperatures can cause plants to pollinate earlier, and allergies may occur sooner in the spring. Tree pollen also thrives during cool nights and warm days, which is common in the spring and early summer.
- Rain. While rain can wash pollen away, it can also increase pollen counts, because rain bursts pollen particles, releasing smaller particles into the air at a much higher concentration. A rainy spring can also promote rapid plant growth and lead to an increase in mold, exacerbating allergy symptoms.
- Wind. Pollen counts increase on windy days because the particles are small, light, and dry. Wind keeps pollen particles airborne and can spread them over long distances. Hot, dry, and windy weather , and therefore, worsened allergy symptoms.
Climate change has also increased the duration and severity of allergy seasons. “Tree pollen starts earlier, grass pollen extends further into the summertime, and we are seeing more severe ragweed seasons,” says Stadtmauer.
How Can We Tell If Were In For A Bad Season
An early and hot spring is a bad sign for allergy sufferers, the experts warned.
“Last year’s grass season was probably the worst I can remember. The pollen conditions were bad – it was a very hot and humid summer combined with wind. That’s the worst scenario for pollen sufferers,” Fischer said.
READ MORE: Want to avoid allergies in your kids? Try turning off the dishwasher
It also didn’t rain for some time. Rain washes pollen away, but pollen counts can soar after rainfall. On days without wind, airborne allergies are grounded. Once the wind picks up again, pollen counts in the air surge.
Geography makes a difference as well: Ontario has the most ragweed, while B.C. sees the most tree pollen.
June And July: The Season For Grass Allergies
Lower pollen counts for grasses usually mean the symptoms are not as severe as they would be with trees or ragweed. However, pollination generally lasts longer with grasses, so the symptoms may be present for a longer period.
Itchy, watery eyes are more common for grass allergy sufferers than for those with tree or ragweed allergies.
Okay So When Does Allergy Season 2020 Start
Well, it’s technically *always* allergy season due to year-round offenders such as dust mites, mold, and pet dander, says Purvi Parikh, MD, an allergist and immunologist with Allergy & Asthma Network. But some allergens–pollens, specifically—are seasonal.
Tree pollen, for example, pops up in the spring , grass pollen arrives in the late spring , weed pollen is most prevalent in the summer , and ragweed pollen takes over from summer to fall , says Dr. Parikh.
And even worse news: Climate change means allergy season begins earlier and lasts longer, adds Corinne Keet, MD, PhD, a professor and allergist at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
To get super-specific, Pollen.com has a National Allergy Map that provides an up-to-date allergy forecast in different areas around the country and an Allergy Alert app that gives five-day forecasts with in-depth info on specific allergens, helping you decide if you should stay indoors that day.
Certain areas have also seen a particularly big increase in pollen during allergy season. In 2019, the New York Times reported on the extreme blankets of pollen that hit North Carolina; and also faced especially aggressive allergy seasons too. In , temperatures are rising so quickly , that the pollen count and season duration are seeing unprecedented growth.
What Are The Worst Months For Pollen
This is something of a subjective question. For one thing, not everyone is allergic to the same types of pollen, so different months along the pollen season spectrum might affect them differently. In addition, those who have additional allergies such as animal dander or dust might have a harder time than those with only hay fever.
When To Seek Medical Help
If you’re unresponsive to over-the-counter allergy medication or if your allergies cause you to cough or wheeze, you could suffer from more than allergies – which means it’s time to see a doctor. Allergies can turn into asthma or an upper-respiratory illness such as bronchitis or a sinus infection, so it’s important to see an allergist who can assess your symptoms and develop a tailored treatment plan, which includes testing you for food allergies, asthma, and other conditions.
Persistently High Pollen Counts After Slow Start
According to data from the U.S. Army Centralized Allergen Extract Lab in Forest Glen, Md., tree pollen counts first hit moderate levels on March 3. Before that, levels were depressed by unusually chilly February weather. But by the second week of March, counts quickly bounced to high and even very high levels in the second week of the month, climaxing on March 11, due to a sudden spike in temperatures.
Since the first high-pollen day , on March 9, the D.C. area has piled up at least 28 days of high or very high tree pollen, an unrelenting attack.
Unfortunately for those suffering from sniffles, the mid-March pollen peak wasn’t driven by the trees that typically send counts soaring. Rather, it resulted from early blooming species that erupted from the sudden arrival of warm weather.
Kosisky, a microbiologist, noted that when temperatures reached the 80s later in March, pollen counts reached only 241.21 among those tree species, indicating they already shed much of their pollen by then. Presently, those early trees are only giving off a tiny fraction of pollen compared to last month.
But now, we’re dealing with oaks, which, along with their cousins pine, mulberry and sycamore, normally drive our peak tree pollen levels each spring.
Oaks are a driver because they make up a huge portion of trees in the area: 47 percent of the annual tree pollen locally can be attributed to oaks, according to Kosisky.
There is a little bit of good news in the short term, however.
Climate Change And The Pandemic Are Playing A Huge Role
“Year over year, we’re finding climate change is a major factor in worsening symptoms for spring and fall pollen seasons,” said Kenneth Mendez, the CEO and president of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
The rising temps and increasing CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere are making pollen seasons heavier and longer. Allergy season is now 10 days longer than it was in 1990, and trees, grass and weeds are producing 21% more pollen. More pollen means more runny noses, watery eyes and itchy throats.
“Unfortunately, we are seeing an increase in pollen counts on a yearly basis, and this is due to global warming and an increase in CO2, which we know plays a role in higher pollen counts,” said Payel Gupta, an allergist and immunologist and medical director of the at-home allergy clinic .
The recent warm weather we’re seeing this year — and in the past few years — is to blame. Plants bloom in warm weather, then tree, grass and weed pollen pick up and fly into the air around us.
In the past, warm weather didn’t appear until April or so, delaying pollen-producing plants from blooming. But it’s been getting warmer earlier year after year. Some areas in the Northeast saw 70-degree days as early as January this year. On top of that, the first freeze we typically see each fall is happening later in the year. Mendez said this keeps flowering pants like ragweed — a major source of allergies — alive and well.
What Types Of Grasses Cause Allergy Symptoms
If you have a grass pollen allergy, you may be allergic to more than one type of grass.
There are hundreds of types of grasses, but only a few are responsible for allergy symptoms. Your geographic location may determine which grasses may be responsible for your symptoms.
The most common types of grasses that cause allergies are:
- Bermuda
- Timothy
Prairies: Alberta Saskatchewan And Manitoba
Expect to see some inconsistent warm weather this spring, including some colder days than expected. That means the spring pollen season to start a little later than usual and be a shorter season. If the weather quickly warms through April, we could see more high pollen level days than an average season.
When Will Allergy Season Peak In 2021 An Allergy Forecast
Spring is creeping up fast in the United States, and that means warmer weather is on the horizon after a rough winter in some regions, but for those who suffer from seasonal allergies, there may only be a few weeks left in some parts of the country before allergens begin to kick into full gear. And one part of the nation is already beginning to feel the effects of the spring pollen season.
New research from Germany suggests that climate change is now causing allergy season to last longer, as rising temperatures are causing plants to bloom earlier, and pollen from early-blooming locations are traveling into later-blooming locations, UPI recently reported.
AccuWeather meteorologists, led by Senior Meteorologist Alan Reppert, released their annual spring allergy forecast this week, after digging into the data and exploring which areas of the country may experience an early or extended season as well as which areas could face higher-than-usual pollen counts.
Simply put, different allergens will begin to affect Americans at different points in the season, depending on the region and the weather conditions. AccuWeather forecasters have you covered on where in the U.S. allergy sufferers may need to stock up on tissues — and keep the windows closed at times this upcoming season.
Tree pollen forecast
The Southeast is already beginning to experience the first effects of allergy season. Trees around the Gulf Coast in particular, Reppert said, have begun releasing pollen.
When And How Long Is The Tree Pollen Season In Florida
Springtime in Florida can begin as soon as late December and run through May. That’s anywhere from five to six months. The long season is great for Florida trees; they use that extra-long springtime to mate.
Ultimately, that’s what pollen is: the means by which a tree transmits its DNA from the stamen to the pistil . Unfortunately, we can’t tell Florida trees to go get a room. Instead, a lot of the pollen winds up giving our cars a light golden dusting and giving us a sneezing fit.
When Is Allergy Season Over
Since there is no one answer to the question, when is allergy season?, it’s also hard to say when allergy season is over; particularly when many people with allergies will experience them at different times from one another.
Many people experience year-round allergy symptoms, regardless of when certain allergy seasons start and end.ii, v Allergy symptoms can also be caused by common indoor allergens – such as dust mites, pet dander, insects and mold – which can be hard to avoid day-to-day.ii If you are only allergic to one type of pollen or mold, however, allergy season may be over for you when that allergen is no longer prevalent.
People who are allergic to indoor allergens have what is known as ‘perennial’ allergic rhinitis, rather than ‘seasonal’ allergic rhinitis. However, it’s possible to have both, and people with the perennial strain can experience more severe allergy symptoms during pollen seasons if they suffer from perennial and seasonal rhinitis.ii
To find out what’s causing your allergy symptoms, consult your doctor or an allergist. They can advise you on how best to manage and treat your symptoms during the allergy season that applies to you.
What Is A Pollen Allergy And What Are Its Symptoms
A pollen may include reactions to weed, grass, and tree pollens. No matter which type of pollen gives you the sniffles, it’s often powder-like and yellow in color. Plants and flowers need pollen to grow and thrive, and it can be passed along through animals, insects, and the wind, whether knowingly or unknowingly.
The most common type of pollen allergy is ragweed, also known as weed pollen. At least 23 million people in the United States have a ragweed allergy. Ragweed is a plant with multiple species. In fact, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology , in the US alone, you’ll find 17 different species of the plant.
Pollen allergy symptoms will not typically begin until you are in an environment where the pollen counts are high. If you already have , you need to be extra careful. Lingering in pollen-heavy environments can lead to wheezing and coughing.
What Can You Do To Manage Your Allergies
While it’s difficult to entirely eliminate the effects of allergens on your body, there are steps you can take to make the symptoms less severe. Over-the-counter medications and antihistamines can treat allergies for a few weeks without a problem, and nasal steroid sprays work well for chronic symptoms. Other solutions include:
If you have seasonal allergies and work outside, change out of your daytime clothes once you’re home. This will reduce your exposure to any allergens collected during the day.
- Wash your sheets weekly to reduce allergen buildup.
- Keep your windows closed.
- Stay inside from 10am to 4pm if possible.
- Saline sinus rinses help flush out allergens and limit the allergic reaction.
- If you’re allergic to your pets, keep them out of your bedroom.
- Plan ahead for next month’s allergy. If you know oak tree pollen will be high in March and April, start taking medication in February.
No one likes allergies. With a few lifestyle changes and basic caution, you can manage your allergies and get back to your life.
What Time Of The Day Has The Highest Pollen Count
A pollen count is generated by measuring the number of pollen grains in a given volume of air, using a pollen trap.
A count of 50 pollen grains or less is considered low, and a count of 1,000 pollen grains or more is considered high.
Pollen counts tend to be higher in early morning and late evening, although they can sometimes be high all day long.
If the grass is damp, the pollen peak will be later in the morning because the water evaporates before the pollen is released.
Pollen rises in the air during the day and then descends at night, as the air cools.
In rural areas, the evening peak tends to occur between 6pm and 9pm but in the city, where the air stays warmer for longer, the pollen descends later and levels tend to peak between 9pm and midnight or even later, which is why you may wake up sneezing in the night.
Sunny days favour higher pollen counts and rain tends to wash the pollen away, whereas on a cloudy day, pollen builds up only to be released on the next sunny day.
Seasonal Allergies In Dogs How To Help
If you suspect your dog has an allergy, visit your veterinarian, who can assist in determining the cause. The longer the allergy goes undetected or untreated, the more likely it is that your dog will scratch and create more severe problems.
There are several options that your vet may offer to treat your dog if a seasonal allergy is suspected. These include prescribing antihistamine medications, allergy shots, and allergy shampoos.
What Are The Most Common Allergies In The Spring
Because temperatures vary across the country, allergy season will start at different times depending on how each province is faring.
Across the board, tree pollen allergies start first, according to Fischer. It could start in late March and move into June for Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada, while B.C. has the “worst” tree pollen season kicking off as early as February and into June, he said.
After that, grass and ragweed pollens start up in August.
READ MORE: What doctors are warning parents about allergies and asthma in kids
“This will vary depending on where you live, moisture levels and temperature – these all determine how much pollen you’re getting,” Waserman said.
Moulds grow quickly in heat and high humidity. Believe it or not, it’s not just what you think of in attics or basements – mould spores crop up on your lawn outside after snow melts and the leftover grass from when you mowed last autumn resurfaces.
“When people think of mould, they think of the black stuff on walls, but mould spore counts are incredibly high outside too,” Fischer said.
What Causes Allergies In Dogs
Unfortunately, like humans, almost anything can cause an allergic reaction. It’s not entirely understood why some dogs are affected by allergies while others aren’t. However, genetics are thought to play a part, as allergies often run in families.
What we do know is that when the immune system detects something in or on the body, it decides as to whether it is a threat or not. If a substance like pollen, for example, is deemed dangerous, the immune system produces antibodies to fight the foreign invader.
These antibodies release chemicals to combat the pollen, and this results in an allergic reaction. The symptoms of this reaction are most often experienced on the skin, in the nose, eyes, lungs, throat, ears, and stomach.
Although there are many potential triggers, here are a few of the most common,
- Pollen; tree, grass, and weeds
- Mold
- Fleas, flea bites, and flea treatment
- Cleaning products
- Perfume
Although seasonal allergies in dogs are more likely to be caused by something outside of the home, such as pollen, chronic allergies can be caused by irritants within the home, like cleaning products.
When Is Grass Pollen Season In The Uk And When Does It End
The pollen season across the UK is separated into three main sections.
From late March to mid-May is tree pollen season, while mid-May to July is grass pollen season and weed pollen season runs from the end of June until September.
Grass pollen season is also currently in full swing and peaks during the first two weeks in June.
The UK has had high temperatures over the past two weeks and this can increase the amount of pollen in circulation.
Find Better Ways To Handle Spring And Summer Allergies With Carolina Asthma & Allergy Center
If you want to take charge of your allergies this spring and summer, consider visiting Carolina Asthma & Allergy Center. We have a dozen offices across Charlotte and beyond. We provide care for all kinds of allergies, not just pollen. Other conditions you can receive treatment for are latex insensitivities, allergic skin disorders, sinus disease, insect allergies, drug allergies, food allergies, allergic , and anaphylaxis. If you need more information or want to set up an appointment, contact us at Carolina Asthma & Allergy Center today.
When Is Allergy Season
Allergy season often refers to a specific type of allergy, called allergic rhinitis , that can be triggered by pollen.
Trees, flowers, and grasses typically release pollen in the spring and summer months. However, certain allergies can also happen in the fall, like those caused by weeds.
It all depends on what type of plant you’re allergic to and when that plant pollinates. Here’s a breakdown of seasonal allergies during the spring, summer, and fall.
What Makes It Worse
Dry, windy days. Wind carries pollen in the air, especially when it’s dry and sunny. When it’s cold or damp, pollen counts are usually lower.
Certain foods. If you’re allergic to grasses, your are more likely to be triggered by particular fruits and vegetables that have proteins like those in pollen. Fresh celery, melons, peaches, oranges, and tomatoes may give you an itchy feeling in your .
Unmowed lawn. Most types of grass release pollen only when they grow tall. The pollen comes from a feathery flower that grows at the top. If you keep your lawn mowed, it’s less likely to release pollen. But Bermuda grass and some other types can still release the sneezy stuff even if you keep it short.
How To Prepare For Allergy Season
There are many ways that you can get prepped for allergy season, and one of the best ways to start is by reducing your exposure to allergens like pollen.
Discover our simple tips on how to prepare for allergy season – from checking pollen reports in your area to dressing for pollen-heavy weather.
If you are suffering from allergy symptoms, however, you can manage them with an effective over-the-counter allergy relief medicine, like FLONASE Allergy Relief Spray. FLONASE relieves your worst allergy symptoms by blocking six of the inflammatory substances produced by your body in response to allergens, while most allergy pills only block one.†**
FLONASE relieves nasal congestion, as well as sneezing, itchy, watery eyes*, and runny nose – for more complete allergy relief.**
†Mechanism vs most over-the-counter allergy pills. FLONASE nasal sprays act on multiple inflammatory substances . The exact number and precise mechanism are unknown. * FLONASE SENSIMIST is indicated for itchy, watery eyes in adults and children 12 years of age and older. ** vs single-ingredient antihistamines which do not treat nasal congestion
For more information on allergy season, watch our quick video below.
i. Seasonal allergies. Nemours Kids’ Health. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/seasonal-allergies.html. Accessed 17/07/20.
ii. Allergic Rhinitis. American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. https://acaai.org/allergies/types/hay-fever-rhinitis. Accessed 17/07/20.
