Unusual weather this year, particularly a longer and colder than average winter in the Southeast, is causing record pollen levels throughout the US. The culprit is primarily tree pollen, particularly from oaks. The worst cities so far are: Knoxville, Tenn., followed by Louisville, Ky.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Dayton, Ohio; and Charlotte, NC.
Seems that some plants were delayed in blooming by the unseasonable cold, so "everything is coming out at once, a meteorologist tells the AP. Add to that high winds in some areas. "We had a perfect storm this year," says one doc. "It's the worst I've seen in 10 years." Read the full article. (More pollen stories.)