Stuffed Up? Pollen Levels Very High In Midwest & Will Get Worse

I don't know about you, but my allergies have been killing me! The weather was pretty nice this last weekend, so I spent a lot of time outside. It was nice, except for the fact that my eyes were burning, I couldn't breathe, and my poor dog kept gnawing at her own ankles (she suffers from allergies, too.)

So when we returned from the cabin last night, I thought I'd check to see what pollen levels are, and confirmed that we are in a pretty bad stretch in the Midwest. Most of Minnesota & Wisconsin are in the "high pollen count" here in late August.

Pollen.com is showing that here in Duluth the top allergens are ragweed, sagebrush, and nettle. Currently in Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin, those levels are medium-high with a count of 9.3. However, by the end of the week, they will be in the high range at near 10.

The pollen count has been steadily rising since the beginning of August, and now is at the highest level so far this season. All you need to do to verify this is go to a nearby lake and look at the water. You'll see all the pollen floating at the top.

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Ragweed is the most common pollen that causes allergies in people. It begins to bloom seasonally in August and continues into November in some places. Early to mid-September is when it peaks according to ACAAI.

So buckle down, grab those tissues and make sure you have your antihistamines handy. We're in for a tough few weeks.