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Pollen from pine trees is in season in Las Vegas and many other places where conifers thrive.
Friday, March 24, 2023 | 2 a.m.
Health in Las Vegas
While residents of some states are battling with allergies because of early spring blooms, those in Southern Nevada should be spared for a few more weeks, according to a study from the USA National Phenology Network at the University of Arizona.
The researchers, who specialize in the study of recurrent natural events, found that springlike temperatures have arrived “several days to weeks earlier than average in much of the Southeast, lower Midwest and mid-Atlantic” to initiate allergy season.
The spring equinox, which typically rings in the warmer weather, occurred this week, but Southern Nevada and much of the West Coast have a few more days to go before long-sleeve T-shirts and sweaters can go into storage. Las Vegas is 10 days behind schedule in seeing springlike temperatures, according to the phenology network.
An increase in storms over the western U.S., especially in areas like California, has kept the region colder and wetter than usual, according to John Adair, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Las Vegas.
“For the next week or two we will be running below-normal temperatures,” Adair said. “Since Jan. 1 this year, we’ve definitely been running much cooler than normal. We have the eighth-coolest average high temperature for this period.”
The National Weather Service in Las Vegas isn’t expecting to see the hotter temperatures the city is known for until the start of April. From then on, residents and visitors here will see the usual increase in temperatures toward the blazing triple digits experienced during peak summer months.
While allergy season isn’t yet in full force in Las Vegas, some doctor’s offices have been swamped with sniffling patients since February. Thomas Chu, a physician assistant at Tottori Asthma and Allergy Associates, believes that allergy season is already upon us even amid rain and clouds.
“That doesn’t mean (Southern Nevada’s allergy season) can’t be kind of weird and stuff, but for the most part it’s pretty steady (and) I would say and for most times you can predict it,” Chu said. “You can definitely start seeing it in February.”
Seasonal allergies are triggered by pollen, which is released in the springtime by plants, trees and grass, and fertilizes other plants of the same species, Chu said. When people affected by allergies inhale the airborne particles, their immune systems react by sending antibodies to attack the allergens, he said.
This defense mechanism can cause the runny noses, itchy eyes and sneezing common during the spring blooms.
Due to the area’s warm temperatures, Chu said allergy season typically starts in mid-February and can last until the end of May.
Rain can knock pollen from the air, cold weather can freeze pollen and harsh sun rays that accompany triple-digit weather can burn the particles.
“The rain may kind of kick (allergy symptoms) down a little bit for some people, but I would expect over the next coming weeks, (when) we hit that 70-degree weather that we all love and enjoy in regards to temperature, then obviously there’s increase of the pollen count, especially from the tree pollen,” Chu said.
Southern Nevada already has a high rate of pollen in the area. According to the National Allergy Map at Pollen.com, Las Vegas was in the highest category of grams of pollen per cubic meter in the air, with 9.7 to 12 grams.
Scientists forecast that it may just get worse, too. In 2021, a group of researchers found increases in pollen concentrations and longer pollen seasons from 1990 to 2018.
Human-caused climate change is the main culprit in changing pollen season lengths and concentrations — a problem that is “likely to further exacerbate respiratory health impacts in coming decades,” according to the study.
Regardless of whether allergy season is on the horizon or upon us, Chu said there areactions you can take to relieve some symptoms.
Changing the air filters in your homes, closing windows to keep out pollen and dust, being aware of windy days and taking allergy medications — like antihistamines — can all help with managing allergy symptoms.
