ATLANTA — If you think the pollen count is higher than usual this season, you aren’t imagining it.

The pollen count has been in the extremely high range for days and Tuesday’s count is one of the highest on record.

Atlanta Allergy & Asthma confirmed the pollen count reached 8,740 on Tuesday. That is the third-highest pollen count since Atlanta Allergy & Asthma started keeping track of the counts in 1991.

The highest pollen count ever recorded was 9,368 on March 20, 2012, followed by the second highest of 8,917 on March 29, 2020.

How does pollen get counted?

Certified counters from Atlanta Allergy & Asthma wake up early and physically count the number of pollen particles on a glass slide, which has been outside for 24 hours prior.

The number you see online is the number from that morning’s count and represents the pollen present in the metro.

Technicians decipher the different types of pollen particles using a microscope. That’s how we know which types of trees, weeds and grass are pollinating and causing issues.

People with allergies should look at the types of pollen that are mentioned in that morning count to know how they might be impacted during the day.

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