Stock Up on Tissues, It’s Pollen and Smoke Season in Connecticut

Have you found it a little hard to breathe this week? Many are already taking Benadryl and Zyrtec. Don't sniff too hard, Connecticut is about to get a pollen storm, buckle up.

It amazes me how little difference there is between our seasons in Connecticut. There are some years where the hot weather doesn't come in until May, and others where it's 65 degrees up until Christmas. The warmer weather has been slowly creeping in here for the past few months of 2025, and finally, every plant is erupting with life, and pollen.

You might hear an air quality update at the end of your local forecast on radio and tv stations, but the State of Connecticut has a comprehensive link on Ct.gov where you can monitor air pollutants from a wide array of national, regional, and local sources. For example, today is Friday, April 25, 2025, and according to the US EPA Air Quality Index, Connecticut has good to moderate air today. Our primary pollutants are pollen from those growing trees, shrubs, and veggies, and we have been hearing about a fire that has been burning a good stretch of New Jersey this week, but so far, I haven't smelled the smoke.

The good news for the upcoming weekend is that the rain that is forecast for overnight tonight and the day on Saturday should take almost half of the pollutants out of the air. Ozone is one of the primary pollutants Connecticut residents should be aware of, as well as Carbon Monoxide, Nitrogen Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, and Lead.

What can you do? Stay inside, and consider purchasing an air purifier, they work.