No spike in cedar fever this year

AUSTIN (KXAN) - How bad was your cedar suffering this year? If the sneezing, wheezing and itchy eyes weren't as bad as last year, it wasn't your imagination.

Dr. Thomas Leath with Allergy and Asthma Associates says he saw fewer than normal new patients, and his existing patients could control their symptoms better this year.

"I've been in practice locally for six and a half years and this is the mildest I've seen," Dr. Thomas Leath, Allergy and Asthma Associates.

• KXAN's daily pollen report

Even though, cedar season got an early start in December, the highest cedar counts topped out at 1,000-2,000. On the worst days, in the worst years, the counts top 20,000.

So why was this season so mild?

Dr. Leath suspects our on-going drought has a roll. He also mentioned every time the cedar count would start to climb over several dry days, we'd get a little rain to knock the pollen back down.

“Intermittent rain will give us some relief because it washes the pollen out of the air for a day or two,” said Dr. Leath.

Cedar season is wrapping up but Central Texas is already into the spring pollen season.

"Oak is the biggest culprit there but Ash and Elm have already started," said Dr. Leath.

Dr. Leath says he’s expecting a normal spring allergy season. Wednesday, Ash and Elm counts were in the low category.