Prepare for a Brutal Allergy Season—These 29 States Will Be Hit Hard

Have your tissues handy. This year's pollen count could wreak havoc on your allergies.

According to the latest AccuWeather forecast, pollen levels could swing sharply across the U.S. through the spring and summer.

“Weather conditions in your neighborhood and even hundreds of miles away can significantly influence pollen levels and allergy symptoms,” says Alan Reppert, AccuWeather senior meteorologist and allergy expert, in the release.

“Temperature and rainfall determine how much pollen is released and how quickly levels spike. Heavy rain can temporarily clear the air, but just a few dry, breezy days can send counts surging. Strong winds can carry pollen dozens to hundreds of miles, lifting it thousands of feet into the atmosphere before it settles back to the ground," he said.

According to the forecast, tree pollen season has already begun across southern California, southern Arizona, and much of the Gulf Coast. Residents in those areas can expect pollen levels to climb over the next few weeks as temperatures rise.

The Ohio Valley will face the highest tree pollen levels this year, especially following rounds of rain in April, AccuWeather meteorologists predict. But a late-spring frost could impact peak timing this year. “A late frost can lower tree pollen for a short time, but it can increase pollen later in the season and make it more intense,” Reppert explained. “Early bloomers like juniper and alder trees tend to be hit harder by a late frost, while later-blooming trees such as birch, maple, and pine are less affected.”

Tree pollen season in the Pacific Northwest is expected to start earlier than normal and stay elevated for several weeks, with dramatically high pollen levels in Portland and Seattle. Parts of New England, though, may have lower-than-normal levels due to a colder spring and less rain.

Related Stories

A Warmer Spring Is Likely This Year, According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac

6 More Weeks of Winter? Here’s What Punxsutawney Phil Predicted for 2026

As for grass pollen, those across the northern Plains into the Great Lakes can expect an early spike in June and July, thanks to a combination of above-average rainfall and warmer weather. High to extreme levels of grass pollen are possible in Chicago, St. Louis, and Minneapolis.

Parts of Florida, the Gulf Coast, and the Southeast are predicted to have grass pollen levels below average due to dry conditions and a dry start to summer. Warm, dry weather in the Northwest may also reduce levels there.

Weed pollen from ragweed, thistle, sagebrush, and mugwort typically peaks later in summer and early fall, with the highest weed pollen levels expected across the Rockies this year. Higher rainfall and a longer period until cold weather hits could make for an intense weed pollen season in the area, according to the forecast.

Cooler weather across parts of eastern Texas and through Kentucky and Alabama could lead to lower weed pollen levels in those areas, while a lack of rainfall early in the weed-growing season, followed by temperatures dropping quickly later in the season, is expected to limit weed pollen in parts of New England this year.

Unfortunately, allergy season is expected to keep getting worse.

"The seasonal allergy season in America is expanding at both ends,” says Brett Anderson, AccuWeather climate expert and senior meteorologist. “Milder winters and warmer springs are allowing the growing season to start earlier in many regions. Later frost dates mean the allergy season is ending later in many places. When warmth and moisture align, trees, grass, and weeds can produce more pollen more often.”