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A warmer climate could make allergy season worse

Warmer winters and spring seasons could make allergy seasons worse for those that suffer.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — We are in peak allergy season here across the Midlands. Whether it has been the yellow coating on your car, or the runny nose you have been suffering from it is easy to tell that pollen season has arrived.

Dr. Ty Coleman of the Allergy Partners of the Midlands says that he has seen a lot of people coming in recently suffering from seasonal allergies.

“Whenever pollen enters your nose, or eyes, or lungs and you are allergic to that pollen you can have a response, including wheezing, coughing nasal congestion, nasal drainage, itchy or watery eyes."

While pollen is normal this time of the year, the timing of when pollen season starts has begun to change thanks in part to a changing climate.

“We have reports and articles describing in our medical literature as well that climate change has enhanced both the amount of pollen during the growing season and Is lengthening the growing season.”

News 19 has data to back this. Our partners at Climate Central, show that with warmer weather, we are seeing quite the increase in the amount of days that plants are active each year; over a 30 day increase since 1970 here in Columbia.

Credit: WLTX

Looking at this year specifically, the Spring Bloom Index from the National Phenology Network shows how early or late plants bloom. Here in the Palmetto State, thanks to a very warm start to March, we saw things begin to bloom weeks before average.

Credit: WLTX

While this time of the year features mainly tree pollen, other pollens like grass and eventually weed pollens become more prominent into the summer and fall months here in the Midlands.

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