Overview
- Doctors report tree pollen already circulating in multiple regions, with early maple and elm blooms and oak dominating in the DC area, while the Bay Area’s bloom began earlier than 95% of recorded seasons.
- Forecasts point to high pollen in roughly 29 states this spring, with analyses linking longer freeze‑free periods and rising CO2 to stronger seasons and NOAA data showing the continental U.S. had its second‑warmest winter on record.
- The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America named 2026’s most challenging allergy cities, including Boise, San Diego, Tulsa, Provo and Rochester among the top rankings.
- Experts urge early, layered mitigation: begin nasal sprays and antihistamines before symptoms peak, use HEPA filtration, keep windows closed, shower and change after outdoor time, wipe down pets, wear masks, and avoid peak morning hours.
- Testing can pinpoint triggers and guide avoidance or immunotherapy, with grass pollen expected to spike in early summer across the Great Lakes and northern Plains and weed pollen strongest later in the Rocky Mountains.