More than 50 million Americans are impacted by seasonal allergies each year. Having a plan for allergy season can be a game changer for your business, not to mention a money maker. AccuWeather For Business Air Quality Alerts can help your business get ahead of this allergy season.

WHEN DOES THE SEASON START AND END?

How long pollen or allergy season will last and how bad it will be, depends on forecast data, weather patterns, and climate research. Various pollens impact people in different parts of the season, depending on the area and weather conditions. Tree pollen is the first pollen producer of the spring, followed by grass pollen in the summer and weed pollen in late summer and early fall. The warmer, windy, and dry days will increase allergy symptoms. Rainy windless days decrease the amount of pollen. Drought conditions can reduce the amount of grass and weed growth, reducing the amount of pollen also.

TYPES OF POLLEN:

Tree Pollen: Tree pollen levels have already spiked across much of the South, with the peak already past along the Gulf Coast. Pollen levels are expected to start lower in the eastern half of the country, but expected to have a week period of very high levels. The Southeast will continue to remain high through the next several weeks. The northern Rockies and Pacific Northwest will see high pollen levels for much of the spring.

Grass Pollen: Grass pollen will spike in much of the Northeast as plentiful rainfall and warm temperatures will allow grass to grow quickly, especially in the heart of summer. A long pollen season is expected. Dry weather during the beginning and middle of the summer will keep pollen levels low over the eastern Gulf Coast. The monsoon will allow moisture to stay higher than it has for the past several years, especially in the southern Rockies. The Pacific Northwest will keep plenty of moisture, especially early in the season, and things will dry out later, keeping grass pollen higher.

Weed Pollen: Weed pollen will last longer than normal, and the increased rainfall, especially from tropical moisture, can leave a long, drawn-out season in the coastal Carolinas and over the Southern Plains. Drier weather over the Pacific Northwest and early-season cold can kill weeds early in the northern Rockies and Pacific Northwest. A second spike in weed pollen can occur over the Tennessee Valley as moisture increases later in August and September, making a dual peak for the weed season. Much of the Great Lakes and Northeast will see an extended weed-growing season.

Several types of businesses will be impacted by allergy seasons, such as healthcare providers and lawn care companies. Like any other weather event, your business needs to be prepared for allergy season by ensuring supplies for clients and customers.

• Healthcare Providers: Doctors and allergy clinics need to monitor the pollen count in the area to help patients manage allergy symptoms.

• Pharmaceutical companies: The pollen forecasts can help companies anticipate the seasonal allergy medication demand.

• Landscaping Companies: Managers should monitor pollen counts to decide the most appropriate plants for customers.

• Event Planners: Knowing the pollen forecasts can help wedding coordinators help plan events at appropriate times to minimize the impact on guests who may experience allergies.

• HVAC Companies: These companies can use pollen count stories to help market their air filtration.

Get the air quality forecasts only AccuWeather For Business can provide. AccuWeather and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Plume Labs, combine their respective forecasting and air pollution expertise to provide superior air pollution forecasts, warnings, and insights. AccuWeather will monitor your specific asset locations 24/7, 365 days a year, and send site-specific, proactive notifications of unsafe air quality conditions.

The notifications—delivered through the SkyGuard® warning system within the AccuWeather For Business Portal and Mobile App—will alert your team to further mitigate air quality risk at the location impacted. The thresholds are directly tied to the levels for which regulators require actions.

If your business employs outdoor workers or is in an industry that requires air quality alerts to determine operations, contact AccuWeather today to get AccuWeather For Business's Air Quality Alerts to better prepare your business for all severe air quality threats.

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