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Grass Pollen Stays Elevated From the South to the Midwest as Eugene Reaches Very High and Alaska Tree Pollen Climbs
Cincinnati also remained very high for grass pollen, while South Central readings held high around Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and Waco and Puerto Rico remained active for both grass and trees. Tree pollen has become more localized than earlier in spring; weeds were mostly quiet, but mold rose in Chicago, St. Louis, and San Antonio.
National Overview
Grass pollen is the clearest burden for allergy sufferers. The South Central region stayed active, with Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and both Waco stations reaching high grass levels, even as Houston slipped below that band. In the Southeast, Cincinnati remained at Very High, while Greenville stayed high.
The Midwest added to the grass burden rather than falling out of season. Chicago and Omaha stayed high, while Greenfield and St. Louis moved up into the same range. Farther west, Eugene reached Very High, making it the standout Western grass location. San Juan also stayed elevated for grass.
Tree pollen is no longer as broad as it was earlier in spring, but it remains important in several northern and island locations. Wisconsin and Nebraska still carried high tree readings around Appleton, Greenfield, Madison, and Omaha. In Alaska, Anchorage moved into high tree territory and Fairbanks stayed elevated, while Seattle remained active in the Pacific Northwest. Puerto Rico also stayed elevated for trees in both Caguas and San Juan. The Southeast tree season looks like it is winding down, with Charleston, Greenville, and Washington all below high tree levels after being elevated last week.
Weeds were mostly quiet outside Madison, where weed readings reached high levels. Mold was also more of a spot issue than a national problem, but Chicago, St. Louis, and San Antonio all had high mold redings in the past week.
High Allergy Burden Locations
| Location | Allergen | Level | Drivers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati (Florence), KY | Grass | Very High | Grass Family, all types |
| Eugene, OR | Grass | Very High | Grass Family, all types |
| Anchorage (Midtown), AK | Tree | High | Birch; Poplar, Cottonwood, Aspen |
| Anchorage (South), AK | Tree | High | Birch |
| Appleton, WI | Tree | High | Mulberry |
| Caguas (Centro), PR | Tree | High | All identified tree pollen not counted elsewhere |
| Chicago (Melrose Park), IL | Grass | High | Grass Family, all types |
| Chicago (Melrose Park), IL | Mold | High | Ascospores |
| Fairbanks, AK | Tree | High | Birch |
| Greenfield, WI | Grass | High | Grass Family, all types |
| Greenfield, WI | Tree | High | Mulberry; Oak; Pine Family with air bladders |
| Greenville, SC | Grass | High | All identified grass pollen not counted elsewhere |
| Madison, WI | Tree | High | Oak; Walnut, Butternut |
| Madison, WI | Weed | High | Nettle family, Pellitory |
| Oklahoma City, OK | Grass | High | Grass Family, all types |
| Olean, NY | Grass | High | All identified grass pollen not counted elsewhere |
| Olean, NY | Tree | High | Birch; Oak; Pine Family with air bladders |
| Omaha (Bellevue), NE | Grass | High | Grass Family, all types |
| Omaha (Bellevue), NE | Tree | High | Mulberry |
| San Antonio (East), TX | Mold | High | Any identified fungi not counted elsewhere |
| San Juan, PR | Grass | High | Grass Family, all types |
| San Juan, PR | Tree | High | All identified tree pollen not counted elsewhere |
| Seattle, WA | Tree | High | Juniper family, Cedar |
| St. Louis (Berkeley), MO | Grass | High | Grass Family, all types |
| St. Louis (Berkeley), MO | Mold | High | Ascospores |
| Tulsa (South), OK | Grass | High | Grass Family, all types |
| Waco (Woodway North), TX | Grass | High | Grass Family, all types |
| Waco (Woodway South), TX | Grass | High | Grass Family, all types |
Pollen Drivers
For trees, in the Midwest, mulberry showed up in Appleton, Greenfield, and Omaha; oak and walnut or butternut were part of the elevated Wisconsin readings. In the Northeast, Olean New York's rise was tied to birch, oak, and pine-family pollen.
Western tree activity was concentrated in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. Birch led the high tree readings in Anchorage and Fairbanks, with poplar/cottonwood/aspen also contributing in Anchorage Midtown. Seattle's elevated tree reading came from juniper or cedar. Puerto Rico's high tree readings were tied to the broad general tree category rather than a named species.
Weather Context
Warmth coincided with the continued grass burden in the Southeast and Northeast. The Southeast turned much warmer and somewhat wetter, creating the perfect mix of conditions for worsening grass pollen.
The Midwest was a little warmer and much wetter than last week, which coincided with the rise in high mold readings in Chicago and St. Louis and the continued grass buildup in Illinois, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Nebraska. South Central conditions stayed warm with more rain and stronger average winds, while Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and Waco remained elevated for grass.
The West was cooler overall, though Eugene still moved into the top grass band and Alaska's tree readings climbed. Puerto Rico stayed warm with only a small rainfall increase, and both San Juan and Caguas remained active.
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