Early spring might be excellent for trees and flowers, but it can be awful for allergy sufferers.
Spring has arrived two weeks earlier than usual in several states in the Midwest this year, according to the USA National Phenology Network at the University of Arizona.
In the mid-Atlantic and northeastern regions, it occurred just over a week ahead of schedule. In the western U.S., depending on your location, spring can arrive anywhere from two weeks earlier to a week later in California, Arizona, and Nevada.
According to the Climate Prediction Center, much of the country's southern and eastern regions are expected to experience temperatures far above average, which means an increase in pollen levels due to blossoming trees.
That’s terrible news for people with seasonal allergies ‒ about 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 5 children in the U.S.
According to a recent study by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, eight cities in California saw significant increases in their allergy rankings due to a "grass and weed pollen explosion," which the foundation says was intensified by heavy rains that year that spurred plant growth.
New Orleans also jumped considerably, going from 34th place the previous year to second in 2025.
