Cooler air may help allergy sufferers

Monday, Feb. 25, 2002 | 9:55 a.m.

With Las Vegas Valley temperatures last week warmer than normal, tree pollen bloomed at levels high enough to cause allergy sufferers to take notice, Clark County Department of Air Quality Management monitors showed.

At five of 10 monitoring stations, the pollen levels exceeded 100 grains in a three-foot cube of air from Wednesday through Sunday. Ash, cedar, juniper and elm trees were to blame.

Pollen levels are considered high when readings exceed 90 grains per cube of air.

The early bloom was felt as temperatures soared to 79 degrees on Saturday, breaking a 55-year-old record, National Weather Service forecaster Ron McQueen said. The previous record for that date was 78.

Beginning late today and through this week, however, temperatures will return to normal, with highs expected in the 60s and lows in the high 30s to low 40s, McQueen said.

Cooler Canadian air is pushing south into the Rocky Mountains, which will chill the valley, McQueen said. Winds could reach 15 to 20 mph late today, but no rain is expected through the week, he said.

Every section of town was affected by the high pollen counts, except the southeast part of the valley, according to the monitors.

The highest reading was 360 at Tonopah and McDaniel streets, recorded on Wednesday. Next highest was a monitor at Flamingo Road and Eastern Avenue with 202 grains per cube of air the same day.

Readings above 100 grains occurred at Essex Drive and West Charleston Boulevard, Lake Mead Boulevard and Tenaya Way and Oakey Boulevard and Rancho Drive.