Timber! Bless you: Video shows Georgia tree releasing plume of pollen when cut down
Video of construction workers in Southern Georgia caused a tree to release a plume of pollen when it was cut down.
The plume is an impressive addition of pollen to a region struck with the allergen.
The Atlanta Allergy & Asthma's Pollen Counting Station shows "extremely high" pollen counts for three out of the four days this week.
The Climate Prediction Center says that the south is likely to see "well-above-average temperatures" in April, which would contribute to the pollen count rising.
An unforeseen side effect of climate change is increased pollen counts.
Recent climate change has caused weather patterns to shift. There are more days without frost or freezes, warmer seasonal air temperatures and more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, all of which can contribute to higher pollen counts and earlier pollen seasons.
Warmer temperatures and more carbon dioxide allow plants to grow more aggressively, which can account for more pollen in the air. Allergy season will likely continue to worsen for many individuals with tree, grass or weed allergies.
According to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, pollen amounts between 1990 and 2018 increased by up to 21%.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Video shows Georgia tree releasing pollen plume after being cut down
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