Is our allergy season lasting longer?

MIAMI VALLEY — Do you suffer from allergies? Do you think they’ve been worse this year compared to years past? Well, you might be onto something.

According to Climate Central, a non-profit organization that surveys and conducts scientific research on climate change, “rising temperatures from human-induced climate change are the dominant contributor to recent changes in the timing and length of the pollen season in North America”

They went on to say, “as carbon dioxide levels rise due to the burning of fossil fuels, pollen concentrations will increase and the allergy season will worsen.”

Data aside, the Miami Valley is no stranger to high tree pollen every year. In fact, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) says there are nearly 100 native trees found throughout Ohio. That means there are a diverse group of pollen spores that could be causing us problems, and they all don’t bloom at the same time.

It’s not just trees that cause a higher pollen count this time of year, but also grass. Tree pollen typically peaks between March and May, then grass pollen between May and July. After that, ragweed begins to spike.

According to ODNR, while tree pollen typically fades in June, there was a delay with some of our trees blooming, so there is a bit of crossover with tree and grass pollen right now.

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