Pollen is not only annoying, but can actually influence the weather in new study on impact

An experimental model explores the connection between air quality and weather in new research on pollen from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce. With more than 80 million Americans suffering from season allergies due to airborne pollen and associated medical costs exceeding $3 billion a year, accurate pollen forecasts could help sufferers reduce their exposure the same way that they might on high ozone days.

Researchers from NOAA’s Global Systems Laboratory (GSL) have been developing the first pollen forecast of its kind in the U.S. over the past two years. This forecast can predict both the impact of weather on pollen concentrations and how pollen loads will influence the weather, and performs similarly to commercial pollen forecasts.

The conclusion states that NOAA researchers are working with public health stakeholders, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to see if there’s a correlation between past RAP-Chem high pollen forecasts and patients seeking allergy relief, which will help validate the forecast model. It’s a necessary step on the path to becoming an official forecast product.

You can read more about the forecast model here: https://gsl.noaa.gov/news-media/news/spring-is-in-the-air-and-in-your-nose-eyes and access the data here: https://rapidrefresh.noaa.gov/RAPchem/.