
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, March 15, 1991                   TAG: 9103150880
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A/1   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: MILWAUKEE                                LENGTH: Short

ALLERGY SEASON GETS EARLY START

The runny nose and itchy eyes you may think are an end-of-winter cold might really be signs of an early allergy season brought on by a February that was one of the warmest on record, experts say.

"People are already suffering from allergies before the first day of spring has already arrived," said Dr. Gary Gross, a Dallas allergist.

The reason: mild temperatures and a lack of snow cover. Last month was the third-warmest February on record for the Lower 48 states, said David Miskus, a National Weather Service analyst.

That spurred early tree and plant growth releasing pollen into the air sooner than usual, experts say.

"When it's bitter cold, the trees stay dormant. Now it's warming up, the sap is running and trees are pollinating," said Dr. Howard Schwartz, a Cleveland allergist. "I'm already seeing people with symptoms."

Nearly 40 million Americans suffer from allergies.

Athletes, gardeners and other outdoor enthusiasts are experiencing allergy symptoms but aren't sure if they have a cold or an allergy, allergists said.

Temperatures were 16 degrees above normal in Montana, for instance. In the nation's capital, the blooming of the cherry blossoms, the unofficial harbinger of spring, is forecast to start two to three weeks early, Miskus said.

by CNB