Accuweather Mold Count (2024)

FAQs

Is 2024 a bad allergy season? ›

It could be the summer of sneezing for allergy sufferers in the United States with AccuWeather predicting an "intense and prolonged" pollen season for large parts of the country.

Second-generation antihistamines: The preferred first-step agent is certirizine (Zyrtec); others include loratadine (Claritin), fexofenadine (Allegra). All are taken once per day and are generally cause little to no drowsiness. We recommend cetirizine for initial treatment.

To make matters worse, unseasonably mild winters, warm springs and dry summers in recent years have led to plants growing more vigorously and a longer, stronger growing season. So, hay fever sufferers can experience symptoms from early spring until late autumn.

Worst Cities and States for Allergies

States that have a lot of trees, grass, and weeds will have a lot of allergens. Areas in the Northeast U.S. like Pennsylvania, New York, and Connecticut. Virginia, Kansas, and Texas have a high rate of allergens.

Warmer temperatures, higher concentrations of carbon dioxide and increased precipitation can all contribute to plants' growing bigger and producing more pollen over longer periods of time, Dr. Anderegg said. Dr.

Zyrtec (cetirizine) and Claritin (loratadine) are two popular brands. They contain different compounds but appear to be equally effective. Antihistamines can reduce allergy symptoms, such as watering eyes, itchy skin, hives, and swelling.

Non-drowsy options like loratadine and cetirizine are among the safest choices for long-term allergy relief. Both medications work by blocking the effects of histamine, and people generally tolerate them well.

Cetirizine is the most potent of the antihistamines having the strongest binding to histamine receptors but can have a mild sedative effect in some individuals, so it'd be best to take at nighttime. That said, cetirizine may not have the strongest effect in everyone's body.

Does showering help with allergies? ›

Stay Clean

Taking a hot shower after being outside can help wash away any potential allergens that might be trapped on your skin or hair. Taking a hot shower also has an added benefit in that the hot steam from the shower can help open up your airways and clear out any congestion.

Worst States For Mold

Texas ranks #1, and following Florida is Oklahoma, South Carolina, Nevada, Arizona, California, South Dakota, Tennessee and Kansas. It sounds bizarre that dry states such as Nevada and Arizona could rank so high for mold occurrence but it is possible.

A typical mold spore count in a closed space is 200-500 spores. A mold spore count of 1-1500 mold spores in a room is normal and safe as long as visible mold growth is not present and no water damage or excess moisture exists. It's normal that mold spores are found in almost every home.

Big Sagebrush and several varieties of Willow, Mulberry, Ash, Oak, Maples, Juniper, and Cypress produce much of the tree pollen with the highest concentrations occurring between March and August.

The timing and severity of allergies can vary by location and specific allergens. Spring and fall are generally the worst months for allergies, as tree, grass, and weed pollens are prevalent. Winter and late summer or early fall can offer some relief, with reduced levels of certain allergens.

This period varies each year but generally spans from March through October, with peak intensities occurring in late spring and early summer.

No, the yellow pine pollen coating everything is generally too large to affect allergies, but the yellow pollen is “a critical sign that the pollen is in the air,” Sheikh said. The kinds of tree pollen that tend to cause allergies in North Carolina include: American beech. river birch.