Allergy Season is Now Longer

As the planet warms, growing season is getting longer. That means that the allergy season is also getting longer. Since the 1970’s the number of consecutive days without a freeze here in Columbia has has increased by more than 30 days. Here’s a segment from Climate Central:

“The prevalence of allergies has skyrocketed in recent decades. In 1970, about 10 percent of Americans suffered from hay fever, which is caused by airborne allergens like pollen and mold spores; by 2000, 30 percent did. The rate of asthma — which often occurs alongside pollen allergies — nearly tripled between 1980 and 2010. Symptoms range from uncomfortable to dangerous, with asthma killing about 3,500 Americans in 2016. Allergies also affect our economy, costing the U.S. more than $18 billion each year. As the climate warms, the impacts of allergies are expected to rise as growing seasons get longer across the country.”