World and Nation

All Stuffed Up

All Stuffed Up

Seasonal allergy sufferers don’t need the visual cue of the blooming flowers and budding leaves to know that everything is coming alive. The recent hot spell is partially to blame for the sudden rise in sneezing and stuffy noses as the near record temperatures have really accelerated the greening of trees and plants. Along with the warmth, days with low humidity and a stiff breeze can really aggravate the suffering as pollen is more easily suspended in the air.

One way to quickly reduce the pollen count is for it to be washed out of the sky, and this week will feature a bombardment of raindrops to scavenge the pollen out of the air. A wet pattern will dominate as minor storms ride up along a stalled frontal boundary draped over us. These will be fast-moving storms, each dropping approximately a 5–10 hour period of light to moderate rain. Although the exact start and end times of these storms are hard to pinpoint, it looks like midday today, early Wednesday morning, and Thursday morning through the afternoon feature the highest chances of rain. So, keep that umbrella close by. At least you’ll be able to put away that box of tissues for a few days.

Extended Forecast

Tonight: Cloudy. Low 47 F (8 C)

Tomorrow: Early morning rain, otherwise cloudy. High 62°F (17°C)

Tomorrow night: Cloudy. Low 51 F (11 C)

Thursday: Periods of rain, ending late and remaining cloudy. High 61 F (16 C)