Here’s how you can prepare for peak allergy season

We’re a week away from the first day of spring, which means there is still time to prepare for the pollen!

Whether it’s itchy eyes or runny noses, allergy season is almost here.

But will this year be worse than the last?

The start of spring signifies much more than warmer temperatures.

For many people it can also mean itchy eyes, sneezing and runny noses.

“Things are going to dry out very fast, so we’re going to peak in terms of pollen in mid-March. We think the season is going to be a shorter duration than normal,” said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson.

Peak pollen is almost here, and meteorologists say we can expect average levels this season.

Pollens to watch out for include tree pollen and grass pollen.

But thanks to the dry conditions our peak allergy season shouldn’t last long

“We’re not in a drought now, which is great news. Vegetation is going to be growing early in the spring, but we think things are going to dry out very quickly later in the spring, which will reduce the pollen,” Anderson said.

This shorter pollen season is another perk of our Southern California weather.

“In the coming decades the pollen, the allergens, are going to get worse, especially in the central and eastern parts of the country more than the west. Southern California, though they think things are going to dry out fairly quickly. It kind of neutralizes that situation,” Anderson said.

One factor that could change all this is strong winds like the ones we experienced last week.

“Wind is a big problem. If we get a lot of wind, we can see the pollen spreading across greater areas and being more of a problem,” Anderson added.