Springtime in Georgia is a sight to behold—dogwoods blooming, azaleas bursting with color, and sunshine warming up the days. But along with all that beauty comes an annual invasion: pollen. If you’ve ever walked outside in March and thought, Wow, I don’t remember my car being yellow, congratulations—you’ve officially survived another pollen season in the South.

Why Does Georgia Get Hit So Hard?
IYKYK... Georgia’s trees don’t just release pollen; they launch it in an all-out attack! Thanks to our mild winters, oak, pine, birch, and sweetgum trees start doing their thing as early as February. And by March and April, the air is so thick with pollen that you could probably sculpt a small statue out of it.

The Struggles of Pollen Season

·       Your car becomes a science experiment. Wash it today, and by tomorrow, it’s coated in pollen again. At some point, you just give up.

·       Allergy season becomes survival season. You wake up congested, your eyes are itchy, and you’ve accepted that sneezing 15 times in a row is just part of your personality now.

·       Pollen ruins outdoor plans. You want to sit on the porch with your coffee, but one minute in, and it’s like you’re marinating in pollen dust.

·       You start checking pollen counts like it’s the weather. And when it’s in the thousands (which it always is), you reconsider all your life choices.

How to Make It Through

·       Since we can’t just pack up and move for three months, here’s how to make pollen season a little more bearable:

·       Check the pollen count before heading outside. Anything above 1,500? Just stay in. The air is basically soup at that point.

·       Keep windows and doors shut. Yes, fresh air is great, but not when it’s carrying a billion tiny particles that want to ruin your day

·       Rinse off after being outside. Pollen clings to clothes, hair, and even pets. A quick change and a rinse can save you from an allergy meltdown.

·       Take allergy meds before symptoms start. If you wait until you’re sneezing uncontrollably, it’s already too late.

·       Pray for rain. Nothing clears out the air better than a good downpour—until the cycle starts all over again.

When Will It End?

Georgia’s pollen season usually starts easing up in May when the heavy tree pollen fades, and the grass pollen takes over (because we just can’t catch a break). By then, allergy sufferers can breathe a little easier, and we can all start preparing for summer’s main event—mosquito season.

Until then, stock up on tissues, keep the allergy meds handy, and embrace the season for what it is: a small price to pay for living in one of the most beautiful places in the South.