Atlanta shatters pollen count record, rising far above ‘extreme’ standards
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - If you think pollen season has been worse than normal in metro Atlanta this year, you’re not wrong.
On Saturday, Atlanta Allergy & Asthma, the city’s largest allergy group, recorded a pollen count of 14,801. That’s the highest ever recorded locally, with the former record being 9,368 in March 2012.
Anything above 1,500 is considered “extreme.”
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Metro Atlanta pollen count numbers surge to seasonal high
Most of the pollen is coming from trees, while weeds are the next top contributors, according to the allergy group.
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Why is the pollen count so high?
The weather has been just right to create a sky-high pollen count, according to First Alert Meteorologist Courteney Jacobazzi.
The conditions can be traced back to February, which was unusually warm with temperatures reaching the 70s and 80s. The lack of a hard freeze allowed for an early bloom, which intensified when March continued to trend warm and dry.
“Everything’s just free reign right now,” she said. “It’s giving us that cloud of pollen in the air that you can probably see as a yellow haze.”
The pollen count will likely drop off on Sunday and Monday when rain and storms are expected to sweep through the area.
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In the meantime, Jacobazzi said those sensitive to pollen should avoid being outside during the peak heat hours between 2 and 6 p.m. She also recommends changing and washing your clothes after coming inside, as pollen clings to the fabric.
How does the pollen count work?
The pollen count represents the number of pollen grains in a cubic meter of air over the past 24 hours.
Specialists place a Rotorod, a device that collects pollen, on a rooftop. In the morning, they remove the collection slide and examine it under a microscope, using a calculation to find the pollen count.
The different kinds of pollen can be determined through their size and shape, Atlanta Allergy & Asthma said.
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