You can feel it and see it | Tree pollen has taken over Atlanta’s air this weekend

ATLANTA, Georgia — If it felt just like the pollen hit you the second you walked outdoors immediately, you are undoubtedly not alone.

The whole pollen rely has are available in at 2,792 grains per cubic meter, which is firmly in that very excessive vary. In easy phrases, that is greater than sufficient to set off signs, whether or not it’s sneezing, itchy eyes, congestion, or simply that normal “spring haze” feeling.

Right now, bushes are doing many of the heavy lifting. Pine, oak, candy gum, sycamore, and birch are the primary contributors. You’ve in all probability seen the layer of yellow mud in your automobile or porch, that is largely from pine bushes. It’s messy and in every single place this time of 12 months, despite the fact that bushes like oak and birch are inclined to trigger extra allergy signs.

All of this information comes from Atlanta Allergy & Asthma’s pollen counting station, which is licensed by the National Allergy Bureau. It’s the one NAB-certified station within the Atlanta space, and it measures what number of pollen grains are floating round in a cubic meter of air over a 24-hour interval, giving us a stable image of what we’re inhaling.

And truthfully, this season did not waste any time getting began. We are formally into the 2026 pollen season, and it’s already been fairly lively. Back on March 12, the rely hit 3,226, which is the second-highest early-season studying ever recorded for mid-February by way of mid-March. So far this 12 months, we have already had 10 excessive pollen days and 3 days that reached the extraordinarily excessive class.

If final 12 months is any indication, we could possibly be in for extra of the identical. Between mid-February and mid-May of 2025, pollen ranges had been within the excessive or extraordinarily excessive vary 63 % of the time. In different phrases, most days throughout the peak season had been powerful for allergy victims.

Now, immediately’s quantity is excessive, however it’s nonetheless nowhere close to probably the most excessive day we have seen. That honor goes to March 29, 2025, when Atlanta shattered a 35-year report with a large rely of 14,801. That was a very brutal day in the event you take care of allergic reactions.

Days like immediately are inclined to feel worse due to the climate setup. When it’s dry, pollen sticks round within the air longer, and with lighter winds, it simply type of hangs there as an alternative of getting blown away. Add in a number of bushes pollinating on the similar time, and it actually builds up.

If you are making an attempt to get by way of a day like this, a number of easy issues can assist. Keeping your home windows closed, particularly within the afternoon, you can lower down on how a lot pollen will get inside. It additionally helps to alter garments and rinse off after you have been open air. And you probably have an air filter at residence, immediately’s a very good day to make use of it.