SALT LAKE CITY — For some pickleball players on the court in a Salt Lake City park Monday, it wasn't just the competition that got to them; it was the early arrival of allergy season.
“I’ll wake up, and some mornings I’m like, should just have a toilet roll on my side," said allergy sufferer Jay Jorn.
From itchy eyes to congestion, the trees are to blame, and doctors said there’s good reason people are already feeling it.
“The pollen counts have been higher earlier because of the lack of snow over the winter and increased vegetation," explained Riverton Hospital allergist, Dr. Scott Taylor.
Less snow and warmer temperatures mean plants are blooming sooner, releasing pollen into the air earlier in the season, and right now, it’s not just one tree that’s the problem… but many.
“We have a lot of juniper and cedar releasing into the air, as well as mulberry," said Dr. Taylor, "and we’re seeing grass a lot earlier than normal.”
That overlap, with multiple trees all releasing pollen at the same time, can make symptoms feel stronger. Taylor says the pollen count this week is lower than last because of the rain, but that relief won’t last. As it warms up, it’s just going to get worse.
