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Ragweed pollen above average this year
* Late-day shower chance: Full Forecast | Hurricane Tracking Center *
Ragweed pollen levels are higher than average in 2010. Graphic courtesy Susan Kosisky, Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Are your allergies acting up this fall? There's a good reason - ragweed pollen has been worse than usual. In an email to media partners, Susan E. Kosisky, microbiologist at the U.S. Army Centralized Allergen Extract Lab (out of Walter Reed Army Medical Center), said:
For the first week in September, when we see the highest daily counts for ragweed, the daily average is 28 grains/cubic meter. This season the daily average count was 36 gr/cubic meter. Area weed species seem to be enjoying the hot, dry weather we have been having. Breezy days help to spread the pollen around. Ragweed pollen has been known to travel some 400 miles on air currents.
Keep the Kleenex handy....
If there's any good news, it's that the ragweed season has peaked, so allergy sufferers should notice gradual improvement over the next several weeks.
By
Jason Samenow
| September 16, 2010; 10:45 AM ET
Categories:
Health
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Posted by: madisondc | September 16, 2010 12:00 PM | Report abuse
My eyes have been killing me! And my friends have been asking what is up with their allergies. Hope this answered some questions you all had? At least pollen has peaked, right? :)
Posted by: Camden-CapitalWeatherGang | September 16, 2010 1:17 PM | Report abuse
Well, it's a relief to know it's not just my immune system finally and definitively going haywire. I envy the people whose noses just run -- some of us feel this stuff all over, like a low grade flu.
Good to know there's hope ahead...
Posted by: Hyperlocal | September 16, 2010 1:23 PM | Report abuse
Ragweed should be declining from now on until frost, while mugwort and other pollens may actually go up for a while.
Posted by: Bombo47jea | September 16, 2010 2:10 PM | Report abuse
We get past ragweed, etc. season and the leaves start to fall and there's leaf mold, and more kleenex.
Winter is the best! All the junk is frozen and, if we're lucky, covered by pure, wind-driven snow.
Posted by: JerryFloyd1 | September 16, 2010 2:35 PM | Report abuse
Here's a photo of ragweed I have on my blog. If you have allergies, make sure no one slips it into a bouquet... that would be a dirty trick, wouldn't it...
Posted by: spgass1 | September 16, 2010 9:03 PM | Report abuse
i have felt it this year like no other. such a shame that I can't enjoy all the nice weather this time of year. i'm 18mos into my allergy shots and am hopeful for relief!
Posted by: rhingo | September 17, 2010 1:07 PM | Report abuse
The comments to this entry are closed.
lots of allergies this fall so far...