ATLANTA — The peak season for sneezing, itchy eyes and watery eyes is here.
Thursday, March 21, the pollen count in Atlanta reached 1,938, which is considered "extremely high." This is the first day reaching the "extremely high" threshold this season.
Atlanta Allergy and Asthma measures pollen counts daily and includes data from the previous 24-hour period. A rotarod collects pollen grains and mold spores for a full day and is then examined under a microscope by pollen lab technicians. They examine the numbers and types of pollen grains.
Today's "main contributors" are oak, pine, mulberry, sweet gum and hackberry tree pollens.
Pollen counts reach the 'extremely high' range 12 to 13 days per pollen season, on average. However, some years can be much higher or lower than that.
Pollen count records go as high as 9,369, set back in 2012. But if you're an allergy sufferer, any high pollen count day can be a bad day.
