Pollen Storm Sweeps Over MA, Partly Thanks To Maine

MARLBOROUGH, MA — If you felt a tickle in your throat or used up half a box of tissues on Tuesday, you can blame Maine.

The entire eastern half of Massachusetts got blasted on Tuesday with a cloud of pollen. The yellow-green cloud swept across the region along a cold front that descended from along the Maine coast, according to WBZ meteorologist Terry Eliasen.

The front shifted winds to an easterly direction, picking up pollen as it blew. The shift also caused temperatures to drop sharply, from the high 70s near sunrise to the 60s just a few hours later.

The nasty cloud triggered countless allergy attacks — and will probably end with long lines at local car washes Tuesday afternoon.

According to an AccuWeather forecast, pollen particles will drop to moderate levels on Wednesday and Thursday. That's due to some stormy, rainy weather that will move across the state Tuesday night and into the day on Wednesday.

Pollen is "tiny egg-shaped male cells of flowering plants," according to Johns Hopkins University. Trees, plants and grasses each emit their own pollen during warmer months, especially during spring.