Overview
- Clinicians report an earlier-than-usual surge in symptoms, with tree pollen already active across the South and West and very high levels posted in Atlanta this week with elevated counts expected to persist.
- In the Bay Area, allergists say patients arrived weeks early as this year’s bloom ran earlier than about 95% of past seasons, driven by accumulated warmth after one of California’s warmest winters on record.
- Arizona’s season began early as well, with warm winter temperatures, dry air and wind keeping pollen aloft longer and contributing to intense tree‑pollen exposure.
- National analyses link the shift to warming: since 1970, 87% of 198 U.S. cities have gained freeze‑free days, lengthening growing seasons and setting up earlier, longer, often more intense pollen peaks.
- The AAFA’s 2026 rankings flag multiple high‑risk cities for seasonal allergies, while experts urge immediate prevention—close windows, use HEPA filters, shower and change after outdoor time, wipe pets, time outings for later in the day—and to start medications before symptoms escalate.