Is your city an 'allergy capital'? Here's where pollen was the worst last year. - The Washington Post

The most difficult spot to live with allergies last year was Wichita, according to the report, followed by Dallas; Scranton, Pa.; Oklahoma City; and Tulsa to round out the Top 5 locations.

The plants grow and produce pollen for longer periods of time,” said Sanaz Eftekhari, the foundation’s vice president of research and an author of the report.

Bunderson’s company’s ground sensors have also measured “megaevents” of more than 15,000 pollen grains per cubic meter within one hour, which he said typically occur as a microburst on the front end of a storm.

As pollen is released, our bodies can mistakenly identify the harmless substance as dangerous and produce chemicals to fight it, causing sneezing, wheezing, watery eyes and congestion.

Warmer winter temperatures allow them to accumulate the required amount of heat faster, causing them to start blooming earlier and for longer periods of time.

“On a larger scale, we really do support any efforts to mitigate climate change because, in the long term, that’s what’s leading to this increased concentration of pollen in the air,” Eftekhari said.