Weather Works: How the South Texas weather plays a role in allergy season
Weather Works: How the South Texas weather plays a role in allergy season
Spring allergy season hits South Texas with a surge in pollen from multiple trees.
Texas, USA — If your car has been covered in yellow dust lately, you’re not alone. Spring allergy season is ramping up, and the weather is playing a big role.
We’re moving out of cedar season and into spring oak season. But it’s not just one allergen affecting us during this season.
Edward Brooks, MD, an allergist-immunologist at UT Health San Antonio, says that there are multiple trees pollinating at the same time.
“It’s not just the oak… There’s elm and mesquite and all the other trees,” said Brooks. “They all team up to get us in the springtime.”
Here’s where the weather comes in. When we get dry, breezy days, that pollen spreads fast. Wind carries pollen across the region, making symptoms worse even if you’re not near the source.
Rain can help but only temporarily.
“Rain plays a big role in it… It’ll knock the pollen out of the sky and we’ll have a few days of relief,” said Brooks. “After rain, that’s when the mold comes up.”
So while we do get brief breaks, the reality here in South Texas is that there is really no true off-season.
Story by:
Eileen Teves, DBA, MBA
Senior Public & Media Relations Specialist
Marketing, Communications and Media
UT Health San Antonio