The cold, wet spring has passed and summer is in the air. Literally.

A warm June breeze carries with it allergens such as weed spores and pollen from trees and grass, the major culprits behind summer sneezes and itchy eyes.

Although allergy season arrived about four weeks later than normal this year, following low temperatures that lingered into April, there is no doubt it's here now.

"For most people with allergies, this is the worst time of the year," said physician Duane Harris of Intermountain Allergy and Asthma's Draper office. "This is the peak allergy season."

When the cold subsides after winter, grasses — in your neighbor's lawn, at soccer fields and on the mountains — begin to grow rapidly and shed their pollen into the air. The pollen can cause allergic reactions like rhinitis (sniffling and sneezing), conjunctivitis (red, itchy eyes) and asthma. Those with a higher sensitivity can break out into hives on contact.

Every year, some sufferers insist the current season is especially intense, Harris said, but in reality, this year is typical compared to summers past.

June is when symptoms are worst for people allergic to grass, the most common allergy, he said. Many residents believe they are allergic to the fluffy white cottonwood seeds that begin to fall this time of year, Harris said, but they are probably allergic to less-noticeable grass pollen, which usually is in the air at the same time as the seeds.

Because the Salt Lake Valley is at a higher elevation and has drier air, other common allergens, such as house dust mites, insects, and mold, are generally not triggers for residents, Harris said.

Harris' office in Draper conducts a daily pollen count and posts its results online at www.intermountainallergy.com/pollen.html. Over the past week, grass pollen counts have been either "high" or "extra high," and those rankings will probably continue until the middle of July, when temperatures reach the 90s.

Counts could continue to be high later than usual, though, due to the summer's late start.

"If you're having minimal allergies, try some over the counter medications," advised Harris. "But for people who can't get good relief, I would recommend seeing an allergist to find out what they are allergic to."

Harris's patient Marjorie Hepworth of Highland is seeking a long-term solution.

"You don't think about your allergies until they flare up," said Hepworth, who is allergic to grass and cats. "But then you're miserable. You're supposed to like spring."

Hepworth has tried common medications such as Claritin and inhalers to cure her flu-like symptoms, hives and asthma — but she is currently on a regimen of desensitization shots to try to rid herself of the allergies.

One reason: Her son and daughter-in-law have newborn twins — and three cats. Her allergies made the pets "a good way to keep your mother-in-law away," she joked.

The shots start with low doses of the allergen and get more and more concentrated as time goes on, to help the body's immune system accept what causes it distress.

It's working well for Hepworth. "I've never been so good," she said. "I'm taking care of it so I don't have to deal with it later." —

Struggling with allergies?

Over the counter medicines can usually take care of minor symptoms.

Try avoiding your allergy's trigger. If it's a pollen, keep your doors and windows closed and air conditioner on recirculate.

After working or playing outside, change clothes and shower.

If symptoms continue, visit an allergist.

Source: Intermountain Allergy and Asthma —

Pollen to blame for allergies

R Grass pollen, the most common culprit for summer allergies, is usually in the air from the start of warm spring weather to mid-July, when temperatures reach into the 90s.