Pollen count nears historic level in Eugene, Salem, Oregon

UPDATE at 10:57 a.m. on Tuesday, June 6

The Willamette Valley set a new record for grass pollen counts on Tuesday morning, recording the highest level in 25 years of counting in Eugene. Read about the new record, what it means and how long the allergy misery will last here.

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This week will bring a perfect storm for sneezing and runny noses as grass pollen inches toward historic levels in the Willamette Valley.

Monday's grass pollen counts hit 967 particles per cubic meter of air, the highest of the season, according to counts from Oregon Allergy Associates in Eugene. Pollen counts are expected to continue to rise this week as hot, dry, windy weather funnels massive plumes of pollen down the Willamette Valley.

The all-time record for grass pollen levels — about 1,100 — might be broken in the coming two weeks, Oregon Allergy Associates director Kraig Jacobson said.

For reference, 200 is considered "very high" for grass pollen counts.

"We've really had a perfect storm of a really wet and cool spring, and then about a month ago, it's been sunny and has not rained, with winds out of the north bringing all that rye grass pollen down into the catcher's mitt of Eugene," Jacobson said. "It's been consistently high and is just going up and up and up."

This allergy season should stay on a normal schedule — it typically lasts from Memorial Day to July 4. The peak is likely to come at some point over the next two weeks, Jacobson said.

The Willamette Valley gets hit so hard because of a twin hit of pollen — from native grasses such as wild pasture Timothy grass, as well as from commercial grass seed, which is mainly ryegrass.

All that pollen is funneled from north to south, where it gets caught and produces the highest level in Eugene.

While the measurements are taken in Eugene, where levels are highest, the counts work as a good proxy for the rest of the Willamette Valley — except they lower the farther north you get. For example, Albany-Corvallis is a bit better than Eugene while Salem is lower than that and Portland is lowest.

Jacobson noted that only 10-20% of people have true grass pollen allergies, but that the levels are so high they become an irritant for a much larger swath of the population.

As far as prevention goes, Jacobson suggested over-the-counter allergy pills, nasal sprays and eye drops, along with stronger medicine for those impacted.

Keeping windows and doors closed and using air conditioning helps significantly, he said. He also suggested showering more often, particularly at night. A surgical face mask can also reduce symptoms associated with grass pollen.

"If you're having really bad symptoms, don't hesitate to get medical care," Jacobson said.