Sneezing a lot? This pollen cloud billowing from North Carolina tree may explain why
Allergy sufferers likely don’t need a reminder that pollen season is upon us in North Carolina. But video of a yellow cloud of misery billowing from a falling tree offers one anyway.
The video, taken Monday in Raleigh’s Brentwood neighborhood near Beaman Lake, shows pollen bursting from a tree cut down down while the city does construction in the area.
It’s just one sign that the menacing yellow dust is taking over the state.
In Raleigh, the tree pollen count is “very high,” according to the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality.
There were 1,100 grains of tree pollen per cubic meter of air in the city between 10 a.m. Monday and 10 a.m. Tuesday, according to the most recent pollen report.
But the news gets worse for allergy sufferers: AccuWeather predicts tree pollen levels will remain high for at least the next several days.
Tree pollen season typically lasts from March to June in North Carolina and usually wreaks the most havoc in April, according to Hickory Allergy, Asthma & Sinus.
But in terms of weeds and grass pollen, the worst is yet to come.
Grass pollen levels were moderate and weed pollen levels were low on Monday and Tuesday. A chart from the state Environmental Quality Department shows the levels in Raleigh fluctuating since early March, while tree pollen levels have generally been climbing.
In North Carolina, grass pollen levels typically peak between May and August, and weed pollen levels typically peak in September, Hickory Allergy Asthma & Sinus says.
The good news for the many people who suffer from seasonal allergies? There are several ways to manage symptoms while the state is coated in a yellow hue.
The Mayo Clinic recommends staying indoors on windy and dry days, avoiding yard work and avoiding hanging laundry outside. The best time to be outside is after a “good rain,” which helps rid the air of pollen.
After being outside, the Mayo Clinic says to shower to remove pollen from your skin and hair.
If spending time outdoors, the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology recommends taking “appropriate medication beforehand” and wearing an “NIOSH-rated 95 filter mask” when doing yard work.
Face masks can help filter out pollen and other particles, experts say, but they shouldn’t be the only way allergy sufferers manage their symptoms.
The Mayo Clinic also recommends taking over-the-counter allergy medications and seeing your doctor if “home remedies” aren’t doing the trick.
This story was originally published April 6, 2021 at 3:28 PM with the headline "Sneezing a lot? This pollen cloud billowing from North Carolina tree may explain why."
