Jordan Thornblad and Noah Price
8 hours ago
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — With temperatures beginning to warm up and spring just days away, pesky pollen and other springtime allergens are preparing to make their return into the air.
The first day of Spring is March 20, 2026, and as that day brings the bloom of trees, plants, and flowers, it also brings pollen, an allergy concern for many Utahns.
“The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America just released their top 20 cities for allergies, or where people experience the worst allergies, and in fact, Utah had three,” said Dr. Tara Sarin, board certified allergist and immunologist with Allergy Associates of Utah. “Provo was number four, Ogden was number eight on the list, and then Salt Lake City was number 13.”
Sarin went on to say that the study was based on factors such as how many over the counter medications people purchase, pollen counts in the area, and access to allergists and specialists in allergy analogy.
According to Sarin, the warm and dry winter that Utah has experience most likely points to pollen season being worse than usual.
“When we have shorter winters and or longer warmer seasons, we see higher pollen counts, which gives the time for trees or grasses or weeds more time to pollinate, which means allergies are unfortunately going to be worse, especially this year,” she added.
Sarin gave some tips as to how Utahns can survive what promises to be a harrowing allergy season.
“When you are outside, if you are mowing the lawn or you’re gardening or things like that, make sure that when you come inside to wash your hands, change your clothes, take a shower, and make sure you keep your windows closed when you’re inside so that pollen doesn’t come from outside to inside,” Sarin said.
It is also good to check the pollen forecast in your area before heading out for the day, and maybe even to invest in an air purifier for your home.
Sarin also added that although there are over-the-counter allergy medications that work well, people with extreme allergy symptoms should reach out to their physician or allergist for prescriptions.
