Buckle Up: Pollen Season Will Be *Way* Worse This Year. Here’s What to Do if You’re Allergic

If you're one of the 60 million Americans who have seasonal allergies, every allergy season can feel like the worst one ever. But 2025's spring season is already shaping up to be a real doozy. According to a new Accuweather report, pollen counts are expected to be higher than ever in 39 states this year, including those along the Gulf Coast, in the Pacific Northwest, and in the Northeast. So even if you don't usually get a stuffy nose or water eyes this time of year, allergists say it's good to be aware—you might still feel the effects!

Skyrocketing pollen levels can be due to a few different factors: one being warmer weather, which can cause an earlier-than-usual start to allergy season and a longer growing season for certain plants in bloom, per the report. This also means pollen season will last longer than usual, too—about one to four weeks past the usual timeframe for many parts of the U.S.

“Climate change has been the primary factor causing longer pollen seasons,” says Shashank S. Sheth, MD, an allergist/immunologist with ENT and Allergy Associates. “Warmer springs are starting earlier and fall is ending later, leading to a longer pollination season.” But rainfall and droughts, along with increasing carbon dioxide levels, also fuel plants to release more pollen, Dr. Sheth says.

Tree pollen is the first culprit expected to kick off the season, which usually blooms once ground temperatures reach above 40 to 45 degrees, per Accuweather. Grass pollen blooms shortly after in late spring and early summer, and then weed pollen in late summer and fall. (In other words, get your allergy meds ready now if these are your top triggers.)

If allergy season is consistently brutal for you, it's easy to feel panicked about what's in store this time around. But allergists stress you don't need to suffer through it. Here's what it means to have a pollen allergy—and how you can feel hay fever-free in no time.

What is a pollen allergy? 

In case you’re not familiar with it, pollen is a tiny airborne allergen that can mess with your health if you're sensitive to it. Catherine Monteleone, MD, an allergist-immunologist at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, says pollen is actually made up of little seeds (aka pollen grains) that disperse through the wind from flowering plants, trees, grass, and weeds.

“Pollen becomes airborne and settles on the surface in the nose, eyes, and occasionally the lungs,” Dr. Sheth says. “This sets off a cascade of reactions in people who have developed antibodies (i.e., proteins in the immune system that protect the body) to pollen.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that pollen counts in the air tend to be higher when it's warm out, although some plants release pollen grains all year. Unfortunately, a ton of plants bloom during spring, which releases pollen into the air in the process. As mentioned, tree pollen is the biggest culprit, with the most common ones being oak, maple, elm, willow, and juniper trees. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America says other spring-blooming plants include Bermuda, Kentucky blue, and Rye grass, and ragweed.

If your body has developed antibodies toward pollen, exposure can spark a condition called allergic rhinitis, aka pollen allergy or hay fever. This is when the immune system wrongly identifies pollen as a threat, Dr. Monteleone says. "When pollen triggers an allergic reaction, your immune system overreacts, producing things like immunoglobulin E antibodies, which bind to mast cells (aka immune system cells), causing the to release chemicals like histamine," she says.

This release of histamine ends up triggering a variety of symptoms in the body also known as an allergic reaction, which can include sneezing, congestion, a runny nose, and red, itchy, watery eyes. Some people may even feel headaches, dizziness, and fatigue if their seasonal allergy is severe.

How to reduce allergy symptoms this season

Even though this spring allergy season is predicted to be rough, allergists say there are many things you can still do to lower your risk of symptoms and feel better. This will likely involve a multi-pronged approach to relieving your allergies. Here are their top tips:

• Start taking medications early. If you already know that you deal with allergy symptoms, it can be helpful to start taking your allergy medicine two to four weeks before the season begins. Dr. Sheth recommends trying over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamines like Zyrtec or Claritin, nasal steroid sprays (like Flonase), and OTC antihistamine eye drops.
• Wear an N95 mask outdoors. If you live in a high-pollen area, wearing a mask outside might help. N95 masks in particular form a seal around your nose and mouth and provide a barrier to keep pollen away from your face. One study found that people who used face masks reported having less severe allergy symptoms than when they didn’t wear them.¹
• Put on your sunglasses outside. It’s not a perfect hack, but Dr. Monteleone says this can help minimize the amount of pollen that comes into contact with your eyes.
• Shower and change when you come indoors. This seems random, but pollen can stick to your body, clothes, and hair when you’re outside. Changing your clothes and taking a shower when you’re back home helps to wash those particles off your body so you can breathe easier, according to Dr. Monteleone.
• Keep your windows closed. This helps lower the amount of pollen that comes into your home which can make you feel sick, Dr. Monteleone points out. You might even consider getting an air purifier for your bedroom, to prevent allergens from circulating indoors.
• Consider allergy immunotherapy. Given as shots or specialized tablets you put under your tongue, allergy immunotherapy is a series of medicine that helps gradually expose your body to higher levels of pollen. The goal is to help your immune system get used to the pollen, so you don’t react as strongly to it in the future, Dr. Sheth says. Research suggests these shots can help provide relief for years after you’re done taking them.²
• Stay inside when you can. Of course, even if you have allergies, you still need to live your life. But if you’re faced with the option to comfortably hang out indoors on a high-pollen day or face an onslaught of pollen while running around outdoors, option No.1 may be your best bet. (Daily pollen count trackers can help you determine which days are the worst!)

“If you are still having symptoms despite these measures, see a physician,” Dr. Monteleone says. Your healthcare provider can help figure out other treatment options, or determine if another underlying health issue is exasperating your symptoms.

The bottom line

It can be admittedly tough to work your way through allergy season, especially when pollen counts are high (like they're expected to be this year). Thankfully, there are plenty of lifestyle and medication treatments available to help you feel less stuffy and itchy overall. If one option doesn’t work for you, move on to the next and consider roping in a healthcare provider for a more specific treatment. Eventually, something will stick—and give you relief.