Pollen count is up. Which Southern city is the worst?
(It’s the stuffiest, sneeziest time of the year, when a blanket of pollen begins to fall to the ground like a winter’s snow.
A recent report from the Allergy and Asthma Association of America lists some Southern cities among the worst places to live in the country for those who suffer from pollen allergies.
The report ranked the nation’s largest cities based on pollen counts, allergy medication sales data and the number of practicing allergists. In the South, Columbia, South Carolina, ranked the highest at No. 14. Memphis, Tennessee, was listed at No. 19.
Overall, 19 of the 100 “allergy capitals” are in the South though the focus on larger cities eliminated many of the less populated — but still highly-pollinated — areas of the region.
South Carolina led the way with three cities in the top 50: h 14. Columbia, SC h 19. Memphis, TN h 25. Greenville, SC h 29. Baton Rouge, LA h 31. Charleston, SC h 32. Greensboro, NC h 35. Knoxville, TN h 49. Little Rock, AR h 51. New Orleans, LA h 54. Winston-salem, NC h 55. Chattanooga, TN h 57. Augusta, GA h 58. Charlotte, NC h 59. Birmingham, AL h 60. Nashville, TN h 61. Jackson, MS h 71. Atlanta, GA h 81. Raleigh, NC h 99. Durham, NC
Across South Carolina in March, allergy centers were swamped with phone calls and patient visits as the pollen season began.
Dr. Roopen Patel, an allergy and immunology specialist and president of the Carolina Asthma & Allergy Center, said the tree pollen season began weeks ago. Fueled by dry, windy days, the pollen spread quickly and hit many patients “like a wall,” he said.
And in the South, where warmer temperatures create a longer pollination period for trees and grasses, allergy sufferers can be forced to put up with with pollen from late February to October.
“In warmer climates, that exposure to pollen is going to last a lot longer,” Patel said.
Pollen season in the South comes in two overlapping waves. First is the tree pollen season, when oaks, elms, birches, cedars and maples release pollen to propagate the species.
“Tree pollen is normally at the highest level in February, March and April,” Patel said. “You can still see some remnants in May and June.”
The second wave is the grass pollen season, which can last from March until October or November, Patel said.
There’s evidence climate change and climbing temperatures can extend an already long pollen season.
A study found higher temperatures could result in longer seasons and more pollen produced during those seasons.
A predictive emissions model was used to look at how 15 types of pollen would react to climate variables including temperature, precipitation and carbon dioxide concentrations. The study found pollen season extended by 10 to 40 days for trees and 5 to 15 days for grasses, said Allison Steiner, a University of Michigan atmospheric scientist who authored the paper.
“We found that overall, the pollen emissions increased by 16-40% over the U.S.,” Steiner said.
Steiner said higher amounts of pollen could make more people allergic.
“You can develop new allergies over time, so if the loads are much higher, it could increase sensitization to pollen in individuals who may not be allergic right now,” Steiner said.
Patel said he’s already felt the allergy season getting longer and starting earlier. “It sure feels like that,” Patel said. “You feel like it’s creeping a little bit earlier every year.”
Common pollen allergy symptoms include a stuffy, runny or, itchy nose; itchy or watery eyes; post-nasal drip, and occasionally rashes. Pollen allergies also can trigger asthma attacks.
For those suffering from allergies, Patel recommended common treatments such as medication or allergy shots.
“If you like to enjoy the outdoors, try to avoid the early morning hours from 6 to 10 am. That’s when pollen counts are typically at their highest levels,” Patel said. “Go in the evening hours. And make sure you take your showers at the end of the day and get that pollen off so you’re not breathing it in all night long.”
With the South — and the country — potentially facing more robust pollen seasons in the future, Steiner said urban planning can also offer a solution.
“Some trees produce more pollen than others so urban planners are having to make more decisions about where and when to plant trees and which trees to plant,” Steiner said.
News tips? Questions? Call reporter Andrew Yawn at 985-285-7689 or email him at ayawn@gannett.com. Sign up for The American South newsletter. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.