- What causes fall allergies?<\/a><\/li>
- Why experts expect the fall allergy season to worsen<\/a><\/li>
- How to manage fall allergies<\/a>
- Monitor pollen levels<\/a><\/li>
- Improve indoor air quality<\/a><\/li>
- Practice smart yard care<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul> \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><\/div>
\t\t\t\t\t\tMeet Our Featured Fall Allergy Experts and Sufferers<\/strong><\/p> \t\t\t
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Illustration by Whitney Lehnecker \/ Lawn Love<\/figcaption><\/figure> <\/div> \t\t<\/div> <\/div> What causes fall allergies?<\/span><\/h2> <\/div>
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An estimated 10 to 20 percent of Americans are allergic to ragweed. Photo Credit: Yevhenii<\/a> \/ Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure> The culprits aren\u2019t just tree and grass pollen. Those allergens mostly cause spring allergies. <\/p>
Ragweed is the leading cause of fall allergies, afflicting an estimated 10 to 20 percent of all Americans.<\/p>
And these numbers are likely to grow due to warmer temperatures that allow ragweed and other plants and molds to thrive longer into the fall, according to Dr. Leonard Bielory, professor of medicine, allergy, immunology and ophthalmology at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine.<\/p>
Put another way, the fall warming trend is delaying the late-season frosts that kill ragweed and keep spores from other allergens at bay. As a result, the fall allergy season that historically peaks in mid-September is now peaking weeks \u2013 sometimes many weeks \u2013 later.<\/p>
\u201cOngoing climate changes, coupled with urbanization and longer frost-free seasons, are likely to expand both the intensity and duration of (ragweed) exposure,\u201d Bielory said. \u201cAt the same time, warmer and wetter autumns encourage outdoor mold growth, adding to the overall allergen burden.\u201d <\/p>
Why experts expect the fall allergy season to worsen<\/span><\/h2>
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Ragweed allergies can be worse in urban areas, according to experts. Photo Credit: Maryna<\/a> \/ Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure> Studies consistently show a link between increasing carbon dioxide concentrations and the production of ragweed pollen. <\/p>
One study conducted in an environmentally controlled greenhouse found that doubling the atmospheric CO2 concentration stimulated ragweed pollen production by 61%. <\/p>
In another experiment, Lewis H. Ziska and Frances A. Caulfield measured ragweed pollen production at pre-industrial, present-day, and projected 21st-century CO2 concentrations. <\/p>
They found that current CO2 levels increased pollen production by 131% over pre-industrial levels and projected that pollen production would increase by 320% if CO2 levels continued to rise at their current rate. <\/p>
\u201cAllergy seasons will continue to worsen as the earth heats further, which is inevitable if we don’t rapidly transition away from burning oil, coal, and gas,\u201d said Dr. Jonathan Patz, the John P. Holton Endowed Chair of Health and the Environment at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. <\/p>
Ragweed is a menace in the Mid-Atlantic and Midwestern states, but a study by Michael J. Case and Kristina A. Stinson suggests its range could expand into the colder Northeastern United States, which is affected more by warming trends.<\/p>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/DeLaCruzQuote-1024x299.jpg\")
Illustration by Whitney Lehnecker \/ Lawn Love; Photo submitted by Laura De La Cruz<\/figcaption><\/figure> According to a study co-authored by Dr. Patz, the ragweed pollen season has been increasing in northern latitudes in North America. When measuring the ragweed pollen season in 1995 and again in 2009, the study found an increase in ragweed\u2019s pollen season at higher latitudes in 8 of the 10 locations studied.<\/p>
This table demonstrates the longer ragweed seasons at higher latitudes.<\/p>
- Improve indoor air quality<\/a><\/li>
- Why experts expect the fall allergy season to worsen<\/a><\/li>
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