New research shows that pollen season is getting longer and more intense. But why?

Temperatures are warming up, but it comes with a price.

With trees, plants and grass blooming, pollen is here and allergy season is picking up pace.

"Allergies in general are getting worse each year because of the climate change," Dr. Lindsay Meade, a primary care specialist with Aultman Health said. "Each year now, we've been seeing here and everywhere else that the season is getting kind of longer and really stronger."

About 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 5 children in the U.S. suffer from allergies, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.

There are three periods every year when different types of pollen reach their peak. The spring (roughly March through May or June) is dominated by tree pollen, late spring and summer (May to July) features grass pollen and late summer and fall (August to October or November) brings weed pollens such as ragweed.

"The worst time of year for allergies depends on what an individual is allergic to," said board-certified allergist and immunologist Dr. Sakina Bajowala of the Kaneland Allergy and Asthma Center in North Aurora, Illinois. "If you are allergic to multiple environmental allergens, symptoms may be most bothersome during those months when you have an overlap of multiple allergens."

Allergy season started earlier this year than in 2024

Meade said cooler temperatures prompted last year's allergy season to start later than this year. The first allergen typically seen is tree pollen, but freezes kept trees from blooming until a little later on.

"Last year, we got freezes longer than what we're getting right now," she said. "Not that it's been particularly warm, but we did get those early warm days, so it did start a little bit sooner."

In May, grass pollen begins showing up.

"Then we get a little bit of a break, and then ragweed comes up in the fall, and then the mold spores, once we start seeing the dead tree leaves," she said. "Usually, people have one (allergen) that's kind of their thing, but some people are so unlucky that they're just allergic to everything all year round."

When will allergy season be the worst?

Meade said Stark County will likely see the worst leg of allergy season now, as trees are blooming and grass is growing.

"I would say May is when we're going to really see it getting worse," she said.

Meade said the allergy season won't start to settle until frost and freezes return in the fall, but there will be some breathing room in the middle of the summer.

"We get a break in July when everything's just kind of dry, and not a lot of things are blooming," she said. "And then when everything starts breaking down, it restarts the ragweed and the mold. ... When it starts freezing, then that's when things are clear again."

How can I mitigate my allergy symptoms?

Meade said nasal steroid sprays are her top recommendation for dealing with seasonal allergies.

"A lot of people are not comfortable with them or just don't want to put something up their nose, but honestly, they work so well," she said. "Other things they can do (include) nasal saline spray and sinus rinses ... (and) non-drowsy antihistamine pills."

Meade cautioned about the use of nasal sprays containing oxymetazoline, however.

"It can make your symptoms worse in the long run," she said.

Weather apps allow for users to see if days are particularly bad for allergies, Meade said, and can offer information about the most prominent allergens in the air.

"If you're somebody that's really sensitive, or an asthmatic, you really should try and stay indoors (on bad days)," she said. "Also, people can wear a mask when they have to do yard work, mow the lawn or clean up old dead leaves. That can help with preventing a severe allergy flare."