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Achoo! Grass Seed Pollen Makes Some Oregonians Miserable

A grassy oak Savannah on Iris Ridge in Eugene.
Rachael McDonald
A grassy oak Savannah on Iris Ridge in Eugene.

Oregon’s Willamette Valley has a dubious distinction right now. It’s top-ranked nationally as the worst for allergies, according to pollen.com

A grassy oak Savannah on Iris Ridge in Eugene.
Credit Rachael McDonald
A grassy oak Savannah on Iris Ridge in Eugene.

This time of year in the Willamette Valley brings an increase in grass pollen floating through the air.

Moran: “Our high so far this year was June 1 st to June 2 nd. And that was 526 for the grass pollen. So that’s particles per cubic meter.”

Registered Nurse Judy Moran does the pollen counts for Oregon Allergy Associates in Eugene. She says anything above 200 particles per cubic meter is considered Very High. She suggests allergy sufferers avoid outdoor exertion during grass pollen season. The rain forecast for later this week may offer some relief, but the end is still about a month off.

Moran: “By and large, we generally say Memorial Day to 4 th of July is the typical time that the grass pollinates.”

Copyright 2019 KLCC

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Rachael McDonald is KLCC's All Things Considered host. She also reports on a variety of topics including local government, education, and breaking news.
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