Most Clevelanders are likely itching for the start of spring weather. But they may also be itching because of it: Pollen allergy season is here. 

Tree pollen is already particularly high in Cleveland right now – though it’s likely to peak in early June.

Yet Cleveland is one of the cities in the country that fares better-than-average when it comes to seasonal allergies, according to a 2025 report by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. 

The AAFA judges the 100 most-populated metropolitan areas by data on the prevalence of pollen, over-the-counter allergy medicine use and availability of allergists and immunologists. 

Cleveland ranked better-than-average on all three counts, based on 2024 data. 

Hannah Jaffee, the foundation’s research director, said that Cleveland avoids some of the more intense heatwaves and humidity that worse-off cities experience.  

“Cities in the southeast of the country tend to be more impacted,” Jaffee said. “We figure it’s due to just overall warmer temperatures and also higher humidity.”

Still, Jaffee said that many in Cleveland will likely experience pollen allergies – which may be worse than last year. 

That’s because climate change is lengthening growing seasons, extending the period of time pollen is circulating. 

“Somebody may live in what’s considered a less-challenging city on our list but really still see and experience significant allergy symptoms,” Jaffee said. “And the reason for that is because pollen is everywhere. You can’t get away from it.”

Signal Cleveland previously talked with Dr. Samuel Friedlander, an allergist at University Hospitals, to learn more about why plants and trees are so cruel to us in the warmest months of the year and how we can reduce some of these symptoms. 

Friedlander also recommended checking out this interactive pollen allergies map, which lets people filter by state and type of allergen to find out what type of allergens are present in Northeast Ohio. 

Here’s some of what we learned: 

What is allergy season? Why do our pollen allergies get worse this time of year? 

Certain people are predisposed to having allergic symptoms. This has to do with our genetics and our interactions with the environment. Some people have year-round allergies while other people have seasonal allergies, so those are people who are sensitized, or allergic, to pollens. 

Currently, some tree pollens are out, causing a lot of allergy sufferers to be miserable with itchy eyes, sneezing, runny nose and congestion. Later in the season, there’s grass pollen. Tree season is from March until May. And grass season is from approximately May until July. Then there’s weed pollens, like, for instance, ragweed, from August to September. It all depends on the interaction between our genetics and our exposures. 

Is allergy season getting worse in Northeast Ohio?

We’re noticing that spring is coming earlier. And so pollen season unfortunately seems to be earlier, a little bit longer, and probably also more intense than in the past.

What can people do to manage their symptoms? 

The three ways in general that we treat allergies are to stay inside or take medication. Some people turn to allergy shots or allergy immunotherapy. 

Medications include over-the-counter and prescription products. That might include oral medicines, eye drops and nasal sprays. 

Allergies can affect asthma, so asthma medications could help, and allergies can affect the skin, so skin medicines may also help. 

Allergy shots can boost the immune system so that the body doesn’t respond to the allergen in the first place.

How can an allergy doctor help?

It’s helpful to see an allergy doctor or primary care doctor to talk about symptoms. They can suggest ways to treat symptoms and decide which medicines – over-the-counter or prescription – would be the most helpful. 

Someone like myself, as a board-certified allergist, would also do testing. We would test and diagnose whether you have allergies to trees or grasses. And that helps fine-tune the therapies that are available. 

We would also make sure that there’s nothing else going on that could mimic allergies. And then the provider would be able to come up with a treatment plan to help manage patients best.