To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.

Then come back here and refresh the page.

One single cedar pollen showed up on the allergy count Tuesday, a blatant warning to those who suffer from this particular plant: Cedar season is on the way.

The trained eyes of Dr. Kim Hovanky and Dr. Sheila Amar with the Allergy and Immunology Clinic of Georgetown knew they’d seen the signal under the microscope. They had identified the first grain of cedar of the fall.

At the typical peak in late December, thousands if not tens of thousands of cedar grains can fill the air. We've listed the peaks of each season during the past decade for comparison.

Ten years worth of Mountain Cedar season peak data from the Allergy and Asthma Center of Georgetown

Red eyes, scratchy throats and runny noses affect a lot of us this time of year as the cedar trees release their pollens. Cedar trees are primarily concentrated in the Hill Country and some of us even have them in our own backyards. Winds fan the pollens from the trees into open windows, onto clothing, all over cars, and inevitably into your body.

Mountain cedar is notorious for being one of the worst airborne allergens in Central Texas, a region of the country known for its pesky pollens.

Given a surplus of rain through spring from El Nino, many trees have exhibited incredible growth and may be prepared for a fruitful release. We saw such an explosion happen with ragweed this year.

If you suffer, allergists recommend you limit your time outdoors. If you're in your car, keep the windows rolled up and the air conditioning set to recirculate. Once you return inside, take a shower and change clothes, otherwise you can end up taking those pollens all over the house and even to bed. Keep windows shut and change air filters frequently.

Stay tuned as we track the pollen count, watch for the peak in late December or check in with your allergist if it’s too much to bear.

Tweet