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Pollen season is here and it brings its yellow wrath with it

Posted at 7:20 AM, Mar 29, 2019
and last updated 2019-03-29 17:45:19-04

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.  -Spring is officially here, and with it come the beautiful flowers and longer days to enjoy the sunshine. On the flip side, this means the start of pollen season and the yellow mess it leaves behind.

Dr. Craig Koenig with the Allergy & Asthma Specialists in Virginia Beach says he's seen an uptick in patients coming in with allergy symptoms. “Significant flare of allergies, asthma, respiratory infections within the last maybe month or two," said Dr. Koenig.

Thecurrent allergy report for the area shows pollen is listed "high" and it will remain that way until Saturday and drop to "medium" on Sunday.

Virginia isn't the only area affected; neighboring state South Carolina is also feeling the wrath of the pollen. A puddle of water on the campus of the University of South Carolina looks like a work of art as the yellow sheen of pollen swirls around the water.

"What's allergy season like in SC?" tweeted Kelly Evans. "We literally have puddles of pollen."

Pollen coats cars in a yellow dust that not even a good car wash can fix, because an hour later it will be covered again.

"I just need the unlimited washes until this pollen can relax," one person posted on Twitter. "I'm at the car wash every day."

"When 'pine pollen' is a car color!" posted Renee Chou, CNN affiliate WRAL reporter.

Allergy sufferers better stock up on remedies now, because pollen season is just beginning. On Thursday, 29% of the country is under a forecast of medium to high allergy and pollen levels, according to Pollen.com