Sunday's pollen count doubles the highest count recorded this season

In the past 24 hours, the amount of pollen in the air has doubled — again.

Saturday saw the highest pollen count yet this season at 1,922 pollen particles per cubic meter of air. After several dry days in a row, temperatures were high and trees like pine, oak and sweet gum were sending lots of the yellow stuff into the air.

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The count doubled or nearly doubled each day last week, climbing through the hundreds and ending in the four digits on Saturday. Sunday has them all beat with a count of 4,666, which is well beyond the “extremely high” threshold, according to the Atlanta Allergy and Asthma organization.

“Patients sensitive to tree pollens will experience symptoms at this level and should take precautions if they need to be outdoors for long periods of time,” a spokesman for the organization said. “The high range for tree pollen begins at 90,” and the National Allergy Bureau considers counts above 1,500 to be extremely high.

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The primary pollinators are again pine, oak and sweet gum, along with birch and sycamore. Grass pollens are still in the medium range, and weed pollens are low.

The count remains extremely high Sunday despite the overnight rain. A cold front moved through the state early Sunday morning, bringing some heavy downpours and a few thunderstorms. The rain had cleared metro Atlanta by 9 a.m.

Keep in mind the count is taken over the past 24 hours, Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Katie Walls said. It will be Monday before the numbers reflect the rain.

Temperatures in the mid-40s Sunday morning will also offer some relief, she said.

With even cooler temps in the forecast, Sunday’s count should hold on to the “highest of the year” moniker for at least a few days.

“Monday, Tuesday morning (are) starting off in the 30s, so that’s also going to help curb trees’ pollination, keeping those pollen counts down for a couple of days before they rebound yet again,” Walls said. “Wednesday and Thursday afternoons we’re back to the lower 70s.”

Pollen counts should continue to rise over the next couple of weeks, peaking in mid-April as temperatures warm, she said.

Spring pollen season usually starts in mid- to late March, but metro Atlanta’s pollen count soared to four digits much earlier this year.

“Not everyone is allergic to or irritated by the same thing,” Walls said, “but when numbers climb into the thousands, even if you’re not allergic to pollen, you could be irritated.”

In late April and May, grass pollen counts typically increase while tree pollen counts decline.

Allergy experts recommend removing your clothes after being outdoors to eliminate pollen irritants inside the home. That also means washing your animals who have been outside so they don’t bring allergens indoors, Walls said.

AJC reporter Shaddi Abusaid contributed to this article. 

Cox Media Group