Trees’ leafing earlier than seen with allergy season arriving ahead of time

It has been an increasing green screen across much of Mid-Missouri thanks to ahead of schedule tree leafing. This is due to the latest rainfall and well above average temperatures we have seen the last several weeks.

The first leaves seen in Missouri are well ahead of schedule with this years first leaves arriving during an event thats seen once in every 40 years. Far northwestern portions of Missouri are seeing their first leaves earlier than recorded years have shown in the past.

To put into qualitative terms, most of Mid-Missouri has seen its first tree leaves 20 days earlier than we see on average years.

Due to the leafing of trees being ahead of schedule, pollen levels are also rising well ahead of the normal timing for trees. Dr. Laurie Fowler of Fowler Allergy mentions that patients with common seasonal tree allergens are showing up ahead of the usual timing. She also mentions that a large pollen producer known as the Oak tree usually sheds its pollen in late April and early May, but this year we could see this occur a couple of weeks earlier.