Those sensitive to tree pollen will notice a dramatic -- and uncomfortable -- change this week as allergens arrive with a vengeance.
Mild temperatures and a lack of rain will cause pollen counts to skyrocket, and they'll just get worse as the next two weeks go on. This year's allergy season will be shorter than most, but much more intense -- leading some to call it a "pollen vortex."
"It will be a shorter period by a number of weeks, but you will see it all hitting very intensely," Dr. David Shulan, a fellow with the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, told NBC News.
A pollen count released midday Monday tracked levels at 104, which is in the high range. Storm Team 4 Meteorologist Tom Kierein said that birch, ash and oak tree pollen are mostly to blame. Oak allergies are extremely common, so many people are going to be feeling the effects, especially as oak pollen counts continue to jump.
Why is this all hitting now? It's probably felt like a mild season to you so far. That's because allergens have been below average this year due to the prolonged winter weather, Kierein said. Normally, trees would have been entering their pollination phase in stages -- this year, they're doing so all at once, now that the weather's finally warmed up.
"In the past we've seen maple pollen as early as late February," Shulan said, "but with this cold weather nothing was pollinating until mid to late April."
In addition, dry air tends to let pollen stay in the air longer. We may get a few showers Tuesday that may temporarily improve conditions, but that's likely all the rain we'll see this and next week.
Those sensitive to pollen should stay inside as much as possible.
Source : http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Pollen-Vortex-to-Make-Next-Two-Weeks-Unpleasant-for-Allergy-Sufferers-256033181.html
