By Jacque Wilson
(CNN) — Things aren’t looking good for people with allergies in Tennessee. Not only is the pollen apocalypse on its way, three of the state’s major cities made the Asthma and Allergy Foundation’s annual list of the 10 worst places for spring allergy sufferers.
These so-called allergy capitals are ranked based on pollen levels, use of allergy medications and the number of board-certified allergists in the areas, according to a foundation statement.
Everyone in the United States can expect their allergies to be worse this year, thanks to an unusually wet winter, the foundation says.
“Severe weather patterns can bring higher temperatures, higher pollen levels and increased exposure to mold, resulting in spring allergies that can peak stronger and last longer,” Dr. Bill Berger, a California allergist, said in the statement.
Here are the top 10 worst allergy cities for 2013:
1. Jackson, Mississippi
2. Knoxville, Tennessee
3. Chattanooga, Tennessee
4. McAllen, Texas
5. Louisville, Kentucky
6. Wichita, Kansas
7. Dayton, Ohio
8. Memphis, Tennessee
9. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
10. Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Residents in Springfield, Massachusetts; Buffalo, New York; and Grand Rapids, Michigan, may face more severe cases than they have in years past. These cities all jumped at least 10 spots up on the list from the spring of 2012.
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation also releases a list every year of the worst cities for fall allergy sufferers. The spring allergy capitals are based on tree pollen counts, while the fall cities are ranked on ragweed pollen counts from September through November of the previous years. Many of the cities on the fall list are on the spring list, but there are a few differences.
1. Louisville, Kentucky
2. Wichita, Kansas
3. Knoxville, Tennessee
4. Jackson, Mississippi
5. McAllen, Texas
6. Dayton, Ohio
7. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
8. Memphis, Tennessee
9. Madison, Wisconsin
10. Baton Rouge, Louisiana
The-CNN-Wire/Atlanta/+1-404-827-WIRE(9473)
™ & © 2013 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.
