Pollen is a small, spherical shaped grain that is produced by plants and is necessary for plant fertilization. Each plant has its own pollinating season that tends to be fairly constant from year to year. In this region, trees generally pollinate from around the first of March through May, grass from the first of March until killing frost, ragweed in the fall, and marigold during the late summer. The actual amount of pollen in the air at any given time depends on the weather conditions, as well as total amount of pollen produced.
The pollen forecast is now obtained from Pollen.com. Pollen forecasts are based on a variety of environmental and seasonal factors including past and current pollen counts over the past 24 - 72 hours and the weather conditions. The pollen forecasts estimate how much pollen an allergy sufferer is likely to be exposed to in the future. The pollen forecast is reported on a scale of 0 to 12. The following descriptive words are used along with the actual pollen forecast:
| Pollen Count | Pollen Level |
|---|---|
| 0 to 2.4 | Low |
| 2.5 to 4.8 | Low - Medium |
| 4.9 to 7.2 | Medium |
| 7.3 to 9.6 | Medium - High |
| 9.7 to 12.0 | High |
In addition to this website, a daily recorded update of the Pollen Forecast (during the pollen season) can be obtained by calling 615-340-0488.