Spokane Jumps to No. 9 Allergy Rank as Grass Pollen Hits 120 Grains
Updated
Updated · The Spokesman Review · May 27
Spokane Jumps to No. 9 Allergy Rank as Grass Pollen Hits 120 Grains
1 articles · Updated · The Spokesman Review · May 27
Spokane climbed to ninth in the 2026 Allergy Capitals report after ranking 82nd in 2025, reflecting a sharp worsening in pollen conditions.
Grass pollen reached 120 grains per cubic meter Tuesday—six times the National Allergy Bureau’s high threshold of 20—putting the city deep into peak allergy season.
AAFA tied the surge to climate change and recent swings from intense rain to unusual spring dryness, which boosted pollen production and left less rain to wash it out of the air.
Researchers said the shift is part of a broader Western trend toward earlier tree pollen and longer grass and weed seasons; Spokane’s allergy season has lengthened by 33 days since 1970.
Is Spokane's extreme allergy season a preview of a new normal for the American West?
What is the hidden economic cost of Spokane's record-breaking allergy season?
Beyond personal remedies, how can city planning combat Spokane's escalating pollen crisis?