Why an explosion of pollen is driving allergies bonkers this spring

CBC Alberta and Saskatchewan have teamed up for a new pilot series on weather and climate change on the prairies. Meteorologist Christy Climenhaga will bring her expert voice to the conversation to help explain weather phenomena and climate change and how it impacts everyday life.

If you're a seasonal allergy sufferer, you may have been reaching for the Reactine a little more than usual this year. 

Pollen has appeared in clouds across much of Western Canada, piling up on cars, decks, driveways and even beaches. 

"It's ridiculous. I haven't seen it like this in forever," says Saige Liimatainen, who is suffering intense allergy symptoms this year where she lives near Prince George, B.C.

"I'm sitting in my car right now and I'm looking at a nice layer of pollen on my mirror. And it's pretty bad. My allergies are pretty awful."

Pollen counts have been high across much of Western Canada, according to Daniel Coates, director of Aerobiology Research Laboratories in Ontario. 

The Ottawa lab monitors pollen and spores across Canada to provide data and forecasting for a number of trees, including oak, birch, and pine.

"Right now, pine is actually increasing in Edmonton and it's been doing that for a little while," says Coates. 

In Saskatchewan, both Saskatoon and Regina have experienced high rates of pollen this spring.

"For pine pollen this year in Saskatoon, it's similar to last year. We've had a couple of days close to 500 grains per cubic metre, which is very high," he says.

According to Coates, pine in Regina is worse than last year and has lasted from late May until now.

The root of this floating nuisance is coming from the branches of the coniferous trees. The flowering display on our trees is breathtaking — by many definitions, says Janice Cooke, a biological science professor at the University of Alberta.

"The spruce trees in our urban neighbourhoods are just loaded like Christmas trees with all of these cones," she says. 

"Every so often we get a confluence of developmental circumstances and meteorological circumstances. Everything aligns and we get great flowering and we call that masting."