Heat, humidity, and a 100 percent chance of ragweed
Season has begun for one of the great tormentors of allergy sufferers.
The ragweed season has quietly begun in the Philadelphia region, with the pollen grains making their first appearances in the Asthma Center's official daily counts.
For the 24-hour period ending Wednesday, the levels were "very low," and the bumped up to "low" with the Friday morning report.
The oppressive heat and humidity should back off next week; the ragweed counts won't. They typically peak the second half of August into September.
Among the big three tormentors of the allergic – trees, grasses, and ragweed -- the latter would be No. 1, according to the Asthma Center.
The seasons do have their symmetry. Just as the cicadas hand off to crickets and katydids at nightfall, the tree-pollen of April and May yields to the grasses of Junes.
After a respite of sorts in July, the ragweeds take over in August.
This is all about reproduction as the plant life, yes, even the humble road-side ragweed, sends out the seeds of future generations.
Unfortunately, millions of allergy sufferers get caught in the crossfire.
The collateral damage is about to get worse.