Photo: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency by Ziska et al., 2016
(Des Moines, IA) -- Fall allergy season is now underway in Iowa, with rising levels of pollen over the next several days. For Ragweed allergy sufferers, it's getting worse. Studies show the pollen produced by ragweed has increased in both amount and potency over the past 40 to 50 years.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in the Iowa and Nebraska region, the pollen season is an average 15 days longer than it was in 1995. Graphic from U.S. EPA from published research by Ziska et al., 2016.
Pollen.com is reporting high levels of Ragweed pollen over the Labor Day holiday weekend in Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Ames, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and the Quad Cities.
The far northern and northwestern edges of the state, including Mason City in the north, through Dubuque in the northwest have medium-high levels of pollen.
Pollen levels are expected to rise each day this week.
Photo: Photo by Wendy Wilde