Why allergy season in the Northwest is nothing to sneeze at

There are a couple of ways to tell it’s spring in Seattle: The cherry blossoms and flowers are blooming — and so are your allergies.

If it seems like your runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes, and all those other lovely allergy symptoms are sticking around longer every year, it’s not just you. A recent analysis by Climate Central, a climate change research group, found allergy season in the Seattle-Tacoma area has gotten about 12 days longer since 1970.

Dr. Rahool Davé, an asthma, allergy, and immunology specialist at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, has seen this extended season firsthand.

“We see it in the clinic on a daily basis,” Davé told KUOW’s Seattle Now. “We see a huge surge of our patients here who say, ‘Woah, I feel like I’m being hit by a bus.’”

And, Davé said, these patients often report never having such intense allergies earlier in their lives, or even a couple years ago.

“Folks say, ‘Hey, you know, a couple years ago, I got a couple sniffles, but it didn’t really do much to me. Now, I feel like I’m completely incapacitated,’’’ Davé said.

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What’s causing these extended, more intense allergy seasons? In part, climate change, according to Climate Central. As the globe warms, there are more “freeze-free” days each year — which, in turn, gives plants more time to grow and release pollen.

Although this trend is happening across the nation, in every climate region, it’s the worst here in the Northwest. Compared to the early 1970s, the region now sees an average of 31 more “freeze-free days” every year.

While the Pacific Northwest is known for its iconic cherry blossoms — and the blooms often coincide with the start of allergy season — Davé wants to clear up a common misconception.

“Don’t blame the cherry blossoms,” Davé said. “They’re beautiful, but they’re not the ones causing your allergies.”

The two biggest culprits are actually alder and birch trees, according to Davé.

“They make up the vast majority of tree pollens here in the Pacific Northwest,” he explained.

And unfortunately, Davé doesn’t see the situation improving anytime soon.

“I feel sometimes like a broken record saying this is going to be the worst pollen season on record,” he said. “I’ve repeated myself multiple times over the past several years. It’s this kind of cycle of worsening pollen burden.”

Although there could be a “plateau” because there are only so many trees that can blossom, at that point, Davé said the damage will have already been done. So many people will have already been exposed to the pollen and will have a higher chance of developing allergies.

So, what can we do about it? Davé had a few tips.

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While it’s tempting to open the windows as another long, gloomy winter comes to a close, Davé warned against that.

“Letting those pollens into the house will definitely expose you, even if you’re not outside,” he said.

Davé is also a big believer in air filtration indoors. He recommended having a HEPA filter, which will take care of any small particles in your home, from pollen and dust to pet dander and mold spores.

When you venture outdoors, Davé recommended wearing a mask — even a plain surgical mask — if you are particularly sensitive to seasonal allergies.

“It will cut down on the sheer amount of stuff that you are exposed to,” he said.

Davé also suggested taking a shower after you’ve been outside.

Above all, though, Davé doesn’t want allergy season to stop Pacific Northwesterners from getting outside. Allergies are as inevitable for some as the trees blooming, but these steps — and medication in some cases — can help.

“I don’t want people to feel like they need to avoid the outdoors,” he said. “We’re surrounded by so much beautiful nature — the mountains, the river, the Sound — so I want folks to be out there.”