Unusually hot weather this week has been a blessing for sun worshippers and a curse for allergy sufferers.
Near-record high temperatures -- such as 93 at Richmond International Airport yesterday -- help trigger pollen clouds that are coating cars and sending people to their allergists.
The amount of tree pollen in the Richmond region was 3,780 particles per cubic meter yesterday, the highest measurement since April 1998, according to Virginia Adult & Pediatric Allergy & Asthma medical practice, which releases daily counts.
Yesterday's count was probably the highest that VAPA technician Becky Collie has ever recorded by this day of the year.
"I think we've hit our peak," she said. "I'll continue to have counts in the hundreds or even thousands, and people will still be bothered [by the pollen]. I think this will be the worst week."
Robert Call, a Richmond-based allergy and asthma specialist, offered some advice for allergy sufferers: close windows at night to avoid pollen floating in, take a shower at night to remove pollen, and use allergy medicines in the morning to block symptoms during the day.
"If people start their allergy medicines before the season starts, like in early March, instead of waiting for symptoms, it's easier to keep a fire out than put it out," Call said. "Everybody's suffering, it's definitely way up -- the phone calls and the sick visits."
Oak and pine trees are dumping pollen right now. Grasses release pollen around mid-May through summer, and weed pollen picks up in mid-August, Collie said.
It is difficult to pinpoint the cause of an unusually high pollen count, but climate and atmospheric conditions "certainly play a role," said Christopher M. Gough, assistant research professor in Virginia Commonwealth University's Biology Department
Weatherwise, today will be sunny with a high in the mid 80s, according to the National Weather Service's Wakefield office. If the forecast holds true, the Richmond area will break a record for the most consecutive days of 80-plus weather before April 15. Yesterday was the seventh straight day above 80 degrees.
Showers and thunderstorms are likely tonight into Friday morning. Friday is to be cloudy with a high in the 60s. This weekend should be sunny, with temperatures settling in the 60s and into the 70s on Sunday.
"By next week, we could easily get back into the 70s or near 80 degrees," said Mike Montefusco, a weather service meteorologist.
Contact Chris I. Young at (804) 649-6754 or cyoung@timesdispatch.com.
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