Allergy season is starting 20 days earlier. That means the misery starts sooner.
'There's a real synergy between colds and allergies, especially if someone gets sick during tree pollen season. The result is often a longer, more intense period of symptoms,' said Dr. Frederic Little, a pulmonologist and allergist at Boston Medical Center.
Whether it was just allergies or a combination, I felt miserable.
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Allergies have been starting weeks before the blooms begin here in New England. You might even start coughing and sneezing before the snow melts for the season.
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'What's been validated
The USA National Phenology Network's
The spring leaf index for the United States this year.
US NPN
Interestingly, Little explained, the pollen that descends upon New England starting as early as February often 'isn't even from here — it's from trees in the Southeast.'
The pollen released from trees down South 'can travel up to 30,000 feet and ride the jet stream north, arriving before our local species even bloom,' he said. Then, as high pressure and sinking air move in, those pollen particles find their way back down to the surface.
According to meteorologist Shel Winkley, the growing season has increased significantly across the Carolinas, which in turn kicks off pollen season even earlier.
'Raleigh's growing season has increased by 38 days. Charlotte, Asheville, Greenville, all are seeing a month or more of extra plant growth time per year,' said Winkley. A longer season in the Carolinas translates into an earlier season here in New England.
Some experts believe there is another piece to the equation that's worsening your symptoms:
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'(Carbon dioxide) is plant food. It doesn't just warm the planet — it supercharges plants to grow more and produce more pollen, making allergy seasons not only longer but more intense,' Winkley said. Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have now surpassed 425 parts per million, which is the highest concentration in human history and a clear marker of accelerating climate change.
New England's triggering pollens
Trees, grass, and weeds are prolific producers of pollen, generating up to 1 billion pollen grains, according to the
Despite the longer allergy season, the foundation ranked Boston, Worcester, and Providence as 'better than average' places to live with seasonal allergies, according to its
Doctors agree that New England's pollen levels are about the same as last year, 'but if somebody is super allergic to certain deciduous tree pollens, they can feel a lot worse than the average individual. And with the growing season getting longer, even an average year can still feel pretty miserable for a lot of people,' Little said.
Tree pollens are the biggest irritants across the region this month.
Boston Globe
Common tree pollen triggers in the spring include juniper, alder, oak, cottonwood, cedar, hickory, birch, and willow, among others. Weeds are mainly triggers from late August into early fall.
According to the asthma foundation, more than 90 million people in the US suffer from allergies.
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Dr. Karen Hsu Blatman, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center's section chief of allergy and clinical immunology, said taking proactive treatment can help patients find relief when allergies strike. 'We recommend people start nasal steroid sprays a month ahead of the season — even before symptoms start. If you wait, it's harder to get symptoms under control," she said.
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