As much as we love the Willamette Valley’s temperate climate and gorgeous flora, these can contribute to the severity of allergies. There are many factors that make the allergy season in central Oregon as brutal as it is; here are some of them.
Temperate Climate
Most people live in temperate zones, due to their wide temperature range throughout the year (usually without going to extremes) and four distinct seasons. For a climate to be officially considered “temperate,” monthly temperatures should average above 50°F in their warmest months and above −26°C in their colder months.
Because temperatures rarely exceed extreme levels (e.g., way too hot or way too cold), a wide diversity of plant life can thrive, and they can do so for longer in the year. The four distinct seasons also allow different plants to blossom at different times of the year. This is why we see different things causing different allergies throughout the season.
Rainfall and Wind Patterns
Plants release pollen, but they need help from nature to spread that pollen around. Pollen is lightweight, so it can remain airborne for a long time and be carried great distances by the wind and other influences. While Oregon isn’t known for being super gusty, we do get constant breezes from the Pacific that slip through corridors in the Coast Range. That’s enough to keep pollen flying.
Rainfall, on the other hand, is something Oregon is very well-known for. Rain can both help and hurt pollen levels. It may wash away pollen particles and cleanse them from the air, but rain also can break apart clumps of pollen on the ground when it lands, which then have the opportunity to scatter. Rain also encourages mold growth, which is another common allergen.
False Spring and Temperature Swings
We’re all familiar with the one or two days in late February or early March when the sun suddenly reappears and temperatures rise dramatically, only for the rain to resume a few days later. This phenomenon is often referred to as “false spring,” and plants are just as likely to fall for it as we humans are.
A false spring might give overwintered seeds just enough of a boost to begin sprouting, earlier than they might sprout otherwise. While they won’t start releasing pollen the second they’re above-ground, they might release pollen a few weeks early, effectively starting allergy season early.
Urban Growth and Agriculture
Local, human-led changes also affect the Willamette Valley’s allergy season. The ample vineyards, flower farms and agricultural work take full advantage of our fertile soil and temperate climate. These growers add more pollen and more types of pollen into the air. Irrigation, too, can affect how pollen travels, similar to the “Rainfall” section above.
Not only that, but urban growth contributes to allergy season, too. As Salem and the other cities in the Willamette Valley—Portland, Corvallis and Eugene, to name a few—get bigger, they redirect wind and create more surfaces for pollen to land on. These Oregon cities also prioritize growing plants within the city limits, like street trees and landscaping, so these cities are hardly bereft of pollen producers.
We Love the Willamette Valley
Willamette ENT & Facial Plastic Surgery loves this area and serving the community. We are specialized in the allergy climate around here and have perfected our allergy treatment options to give you the relief you need so you can enjoy Oregon spring and summer to its fullest. Call today to learn more about how we can help you survive the Willamette Valley’s allergy season.
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