Mild Winter Means Early Allergies In New York and New Jersey

Pollen counters are getting an early start at Dr. Leonard Bielory’s office in Springfield.

Due to the mild winter, pollen is here a few weeks early.

“March 10 has usually been our regular. February 22, 23, and 24 are not the normal times,” said the doctor.
Thursday’s count was high with maple leading the charge, and that was triple the count on Wednesday.

“It’s an earlier season. It’s going to be longer, and it will just increase the severity of the symptoms for many allergy sufferers,” Dr. Bielory told WCBS 880 reporter Sean Adams. “An individual who would only be mildly allergic exposed for a week or two is now exposed for two weeks to three weeks, is having an increased sensitivity.”

Bielory is with Robert Wood Johnson and Rutgers University and is studying climate change and allergies.

“This actually continues a trend that we’ve been seeing. The paper’s literally right on my desk, where climate change and shifting pollen trends in the New York metropolitan area,” he said.

The early release is unusual, but not unprecedented. The doctor says during a recent El Nino the trees started pollinating in January.

{CBS Local/Matzav.com Newscenter}