PORTLAND, Maine — It's been a sluggish start to spring. But with recent drier weather, the trees are flowering from south to north, with vibrant colors soon to follow.
Most of Maine is about a week behind schedule, with much more brown than green in the northern part of the state.
In the Mid Atlantic and southern New England, spring blooms are fully underway, with extreme levels of tree pollen observed this season in Connecticut, possibly a sign of things to come for us.
Days like today with sunshine and a breeze allow pollen grains to spread and flourish.
When it rains, the pollen floating in the air is captured and forced to the ground, providing temporary relief -- which we'll see Friday -- before the pollen count spikes again over the weekend.
Right now, the triggers for tree pollen are maple, birch and juniper. In a few weeks, the pine pollen -- known for covering your car with a layer of filth -- will become more noticeable.
As we get into June, the grasses begin to take over, before the weed season begins later in the summer -- with ragweed lasting up until the first frost.
There are some simple things you can do to prevent the worst effects:
- Pollen levels are highest in the morning; avoid exercising outside then.
- Keep the windows closed on dry, windy days; that's when pollen grains are most likely to sneak through your screen.
- Shower at night; that will rinse pollen from your skin and hair.