1 day away from spring, officials say to prepare for pollen boom

ATLANTA — With spring just a day away, doctors are warning people with allergies that the pollen count will likely start to rise.

The Atlanta metro has seen record high pollen counts already in February. This week, we've seen the count drop as temperatures have hit freezing.

But warmer temperatures heading into spring could bring new challenges.

“It’s been very unusual,” Dr. Stanley Fineman, with Atlanta Allergy & Asthma, told Channel 2 Action News. "When the weather gets warmer we'll see the plants pollinate more and at that point patients will likely have more trouble with their symptoms."

Fineman said a recent drop in temperatures also brought down the pollen count. He expects that will change as we move from winter to spring.

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"Now we anticipate that we'll see more pollen towards the end of March and April," he said.

Kayla Miller said her asthma and allergies are a concern every day.

"I would miss up to two to three weeks of school because I couldn't breathe,” Miller said.

Fineman is urging her and all other patients that it's best to be proactive and not wait until a pollen explosion.

"We're instructing our patients who have pollen allergy to start their preventative medication now to make sure that they are controlled," Fineman said.

Cox Media Group