The relentless streak of soggy days that darkened the sky and dampened the ground across the region last week may have spoiled the mood of many New Jerseyans, but it helped some allergy sufferers by keeping the pollen counts down, experts say.
Now for some bad news: The sunshine that returned on Sunday and Monday triggered the release of a lot more tree pollen, and that upward trend is expected to continue this week, with more dry days than wet days in the forecast.
The tree pollen count on Monday in northern New Jersey was 939 grains per cubic meter, which is more than twice as high as it was last week. In South Jersey, the specific pollen count was not available Monday, but the reporting station for that region — The Asthma Center in Mount Laurel — reported tree pollen levels as “extreme,” mold spores as “very high” and grass pollen as “moderate.”
