This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
When spring's pollen wafts through the Wasatch Front, it can be tough to see the sunshine through the clearing clouds — or see anything, for that matter.
Cartoonist, author and humorist James Thurber understood. He once lamented waking up at 4 a.m. only to be seized by interminable sneezing: "I tried to find out what sort of allergy I had but finally came to the conclusion that it must be an allergy to consciousness."
Perhaps. But while National Weather Service forecasters predicted highs in the mid-60s under clearing skies on Thursday for northern Utah, it is the Intermountain Allergy & Asthma website that might best gauge the coming mucosal maelstrom.
On Wednesday, the site's pollen index showed "very high" levels for cottonwood, cedar and oak, while willow pollen was "high" and ash, maple and sycamore registered at "moderate" concentrations.
Not helping that sinus-pounding scenario will be winds of 10-20 mph spreading pollen over the region on Wednesday, when high temperatures were forecast in the mid-50s.
Southern Utahns, too, will have some stiff breezes heading toward the latter part of the week. Highs in Utah's Dixie were to be in the mid-70s under clear skies.
Are you one of the lucky ones not suffering allergies? Then breathe deep: the Utah Division of Air Quality gave the entire state "green," or healthy air quality grades through the end of the work week.
The Utah Avalanche Center on Wednesday rated the state's mountains at "moderate" risk for potentially deadly backcountry snowslides.
For more extensive weather information, visit the Tribune's weather page at http://www.sltrib.com/weather/.
Twitter: @remims