Pollen arrives earlier than normal and there's more of it this year

According to one professor at N.C. State, the earlier start just means a longer, and more intenste, pollen season.
Posted 3/1/2023, 3:13:25 AM Updated 3/1/2023, 1:58:05 PM

WETTEST HOURS WITH HIGH

RESOLUTION FUTURE CAST COMING

UP IN LESS THAN 15 MINUTES

LATER. ALL RIGHT, THANKS, MIKE.

>> IT IS STILL FEBRUARY FOR

THE NEXT HOUR AND 55 MINUTES.

BUT AS MIKE SAID, OUR ALLERGIES

WILL BE BOTHERING US FOR THE

NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS. POLLEN

SEASON IS VERY MUCH HERE AND

HERE TO STAY TONIGHT, WRAL'S

AARON THOMAS TALK TO LOCAL

EXPERTS WHO SAID WHEN THE

POLLEN SEASON STARTS EARLIER,

THAT JUST MEANS WE'RE GOING TO

SUFFER FOR LONGER.

>> YEAH, WE KNOW THAT APPEARS

TO BE THE CASE IN ARE PRETTY

SURE FOR YOU AND FOR DRIVING

THAT HOME. YOU WERE ALL TAKEN

BY SURPRISE TO SEE ALL OF THIS

POLLEN ON YOUR CAR'S

CONSIDERING THAT WE'RE STILL IN

FEBRUARY. AND DON'T FORGET,

WE'RE STILL IN THE WINTER

SEASON. IF THIS POLLEN TRIGGERS

YOUR ALLERGIES, EXPERTS SAY

EXPECT THE SEASON TO BE LONGER

AND MORE INTENSE.

>> JUST LOOK

AROUND

>> IT IS ALL IT IS TOO EARLY

AND IT'S EVERYWHERE. THIS

MORNING, I NOTICED IN MY CAR

I STARTED SEIZING AS YOU KNOW,

THEY GOT OUT SO AT THE RETURN

TO YELLOW COATING ON THIS CAR

SUMS IT UP. IT'S STILL

FEBRUARY, BUT IT IS EARLIER

THAN WE'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING IT

IN THE PAST. THAT'S DOCTOR

KELLY OTAN, AN ASSISTANT

PROFESSOR AND FORCE HEALTH

SPECIALIST AT NC STATE. HE SAYS

WHAT'S COATING NEARLY EVERY

SURFACE IN THE TRIANGLE RIGHT

NOW IS PINE POLLEN. AND YES,

IT'S HERE EARLIER THAN

EXPECTED. AND WE ARE 3 WEEKS

AHEAD OF DRIVERS RUSHED TO

NEARBY CAR WASH.

>> KEEP THEIR CAR CHANGING

COLORS, BUT THE YELLOW COVER

AND A HEADS UP. IF YOU THINK

EARLY START EARLY FINISH FOR

POLLEN SEASON, BUT

UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S JUST NOT

THE IT JUST MEANS WE'RE GOING

TO HAVE A LONGER GROWING SEASON

GIVING OUR TREES JUST MORE TIME

TO ADMIT AND UNFORTUNATELY,

MAKE THOSE ALLERGIES THAT MUCH

WORSE. NO BIG DEAL FOR SOME.

IT DOESN'T BOTHER ME. LUCKILY

SOME I THINK I'M ONE OF THE

LUCKY ONES, BUT A NUISANCE FOR

THOSE JUST TRYING TO ENJOY THE

GREAT OUTDOORS ON NEWS. 2 AT

SOME OF THE MOST PART. SO.

>> BUT NOT 3 WEEKS EARLY AND

NOT FOR

>> WE'LL GET INTO THIS

STAGGERING STATISTIC. EXPERTS

SAY WE CAN EXPECT SOME OF THOSE

TREES TO PUT OUT MORE THAN 200%

MORE POLLEN IN THE COMING

YEARS.

I KNOW THAT'S HARD TO WRAP YOUR

MIND AROUND, ESPECIALLY FOR

THOSE WHO TIED TO RUB OUR EYES

CONSTANTLY. ALL RIGHT, AARON

© WRAL