BOSTON – We’ve been answering a lot of questions in recent days about the nasty yellow-green slime that is now covering everything from cars to patios. Welcome to pine pollen season!
Two different pollen peaks
This is NOT something new or unusual. In fact, the same thing happens every year in late May-early June.
Different types of pollen peak at different times of the year, and some are more visible to the naked eye and lungs than others. Currently we are at the intersection of two different pollen peaks. These include tree pollens such as oak, mulberry and pine, as well as grass pollen.
These will last another week or two, and then we’ll get a little break before ragweed season starts in late July and August.
CBS Boston
Most people are not allergic to pine wood
What’s interesting is that many allergy reports don’t even mention pine tree in their list of current allergens. Although pine is one of the messiest and most visible pollens, most people are not allergic to it.
CBS Boston
Many doctors believe that the main reason for this is the size of the average pine pollen grains. At 60-100 microns in size, pine pollen is thought to be too large to enter the nasal passages and lungs of most allergy sufferers.
That doesn’t necessarily mean that inhaling large amounts of it won’t affect your breathing or possibly cause you to suffocate. However, an actual allergic reaction from pine is somewhat rare.
CBS Boston
When does the pollen stop?
Given the dry weather forecast for the next few days, you will continue to see yellow clouds drifting off the pine trees and covering everything.
Fortunately, some Heavy rain on Thursday will flush much of the yellow slime down storm drains, signaling the beginning of the end of “pine slime” season.
