Lots of sneezing and coughing and sniffling has been heard around southeast Wisconsin the last few weeks as spring and warm weather brings trees and flowers to bloom which in turn increases the pollen levels and therefore allergies. Tree pollen has remained high for over a month on southeast Wisconsin. Some of the high pollen counts we've experienced the last few weeks comes from outside Wisconsin as strong winds bring in pollen from the rest of the Midwest.
Back on May 15th strong wind brought in a tree pollen count of 3,156 according to the Allergy, Asthma & Sinus Center, our local expert for seasonal allergies. That pollen count was the 12th highest on record with only seven counts higher that it by this date. Now that we are at the end of May this is typically the time of year that tree pollen peaks. Tree pollen typically rapidly goes down through the first two weeks of June so if you suffer from tree allergies there may be some relief.
The latest tree pollen count is 847 with Pine, Mulberry and Oak the predominant species.
In addition to tree pollen, grass pollen season is ramping up. We first saw grass pollen show up in mid-May but it hasn't been consistent. We are still waiting for the official start of the grass pollen season which happens when we get three consecutive days with pollen counts of ten or more. The latest grass pollen count is at 16 which is moderate levels so that grass season may be starting! Grass allergy season is typically fairly short from the end of May to the beginning of June.
If you're mostly impacted by weeds pollen that season doesn't peak until the later summer months as it ramps up during the month of August and falls in September.
Rainfall can help knock down a lot of the pollen drifting in the air and give temporary relief of allergies. Download the CBS 58 Weather to track those rain chances.