110.9 parts per cubic meter of air was this year’s average tree pollen concentration from May to early June in Reno/Sparks, up from 99.8 a year earlier, with pine making up 75% versus 51% last year.
Light snowpack and warmer weather likely drove the bigger bursts, and Tahoe-area concentrations are likely even higher than the Reno/Sparks readings used for the counts.
South Lake Tahoe, Crystal Bay, Incline Village and Kings Beach typically see heavier accumulation as wind carries the large yellow-green pine pollen and leaves it floating on Lake Tahoe’s surface.
Doctors said the season is a normal part of life in the basin, though allergy sufferers may need closed windows, fresh air filters, masks, air purifiers and over-the-counter antihistamines until the May-to-July peak passes.