{"id":433585,"date":"2025-12-08T16:08:14","date_gmt":"2025-12-08T16:08:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/433585\/"},"modified":"2025-12-08T16:08:14","modified_gmt":"2025-12-08T16:08:14","slug":"achoo-mountain-cedar-season-has-begun-for-san-antonio-%f0%9f%a4%a7","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/433585\/","title":{"rendered":"ACHOO! Mountain Cedar season has begun for San Antonio \ud83e\udd27"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">It\u2019s back&#8230; mountain cedar has returned to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ksat.com\/weather\/pollen-count\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.ksat.com\/weather\/pollen-count\/\">pollen count<\/a> for the first time this season, thanks to breezy north winds.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">From now through Valentine\u2019s Day, thousands of us who are allergic to cedar will have to combat itchy and watery eyes, a scratchy throat, and lots of sneezing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\"><b>\ud83d\udc49<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ksat.com\/ksat-explains\/2023\/01\/31\/what-is-mountain-cedar-ksat-explains\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>What is Mountain Cedar? KSAT EXPLAINS<\/b><\/a><b>\ud83d\udc48<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Whatever the Weather<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 kiwhtN\">KSAT meteorologists go beyond the daily forecast to talk about science, weather phenomena, trivia and other fun topics.<\/p>\n<p>CEDAR KEY POINTS:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 kDvXdO font_openSans articleList\">\n<li class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__StackBase-sc-1fnzlkn-7 ecGWWE iQviKm\">\n<p>Mountain cedar pollen typically peaks in mid-January, ends by Valentine\u2019s Day.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__StackBase-sc-1fnzlkn-7 ecGWWE iQviKm\">\n<p>We usually see a spike in mountain cedar after a cold front, when winds from the north bring pollen to San Antonio from the Hill Country.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__StackBase-sc-1fnzlkn-7 ecGWWE iQviKm\">\n<p>Over-the-counter allergy medicines are the first thing to try when treating a mountain cedar allergy, but you may have to get allergy shots if you have a particularly high sensitivity to the pollen.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>What is mountain cedar?<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">First thing to know about mountain cedar: they technically aren\u2019t cedar trees at all.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">What we call \u201ccedar trees\u201d are a type of juniper tree \u2014 specifically Ashe juniper \u2014 named after William Willard Ashe (1872-1932), who was a pioneer forester for the U.S. Forest Service.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">True cedar trees reside near the Mediterranean Sea, around Europe and northern Africa. However, juniper trees here in Texas do bear at least <b>some resemblance<\/b> to cedar trees.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">\u201cA lot of the explorers, when they were first coming to the western United States, encountering these trees, they just referred to them as cedars because of that resemblance,\u201d said Karl Flocke, a woodland ecologist with Texas A&amp;M Forest Service.<\/p>\n<p>Where do mountain cedar trees reside?This map displays where mountain cedar (technically juniper) trees reside in Texas. (Texas A&amp;M Forest Service)<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Cedar resides throughout Texas, even up west of Fort Worth, stretching into parts of Oklahoma and Arkansas.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">But a dense cedar forest exists in the Texas Hill Country. Karl Flocke said this is \u201cbecause they really thrive on limestone soils, hilly environments, areas that don\u2019t have very deep soil at all.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">The Hill Country is home to more than <a href=\"https:\/\/texasforestinfo.tamu.edu\/ForestDistribution\/ReportService\/reports\/Forest_Distribution_01-25-2023_115516.pdf\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\">35 million tons<\/a> of cedar (juniper) trees, according to the Texas A&amp;M Forest Service, which measures trees by weight.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">It\u2019s in this part of Texas \u2014 around San Antonio, Austin, and throughout the Hill Country \u2014 where we really feel the impacts from cedar pollen.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">In the Alamo City, we typically will see a surge of mountain cedar after a cold front moves through, sweeping up pollen from the trees in the Hill Country. The wind will then carry the pollen south to San Antonio.<\/p>\n<p>Cedar FeverMountain cedar in San Antonio. (Courtesy, Lance Gill)<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Did you know that there are male and female mountain cedar trees?<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">The female cedar trees, which are only distinguishable by their juniper berries, produce no pollen or allergies whatsoever&#8230; that\u2019s the job of male trees!<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">From December through mid-February, tiny cones on the male cedar trees produce pollen. Once those cones open, exposing the pollen, the grains are then carried by the wind to the waiting female trees. And, unfortunately, into our eyes and sinuses as well.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">According to Shannon Syring, a certified pollen collector who has been providing KSAT with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ksat.com\/weather\/pollen-count\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">pollen count<\/a> for years, a typical mountain cedar season peaks at 20,000 to 32,000 grains per cubic meter of air. That\u2019s roughly a 3-foot by 3-foot space.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Allergist Dr. Dennis Dilley said all that pollen in the air makes for \u201citchy eyes, watery eyes, sneezing fits, followed by just copious amounts of mucus.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">With \u201ccedar fever\u201d impacting many people every year, it\u2019s no wonder that some grow to hate mountain cedar and its dreaded pollen.<\/p>\n<p>How to treat cedar allergies<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Because everyone reacts differently to a mountain cedar allergy, most allergists recommend using multiple treatments. <\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Try consistently taking an allergy pill or using a nasal spray. Allergy drops are also helpful for many. When all else fails, allergy shots from a specialist are another option.<\/p>\n<p>Will cutting down mountain cedar trees eliminate allergies?<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">In the city of San Antonio, it is legal to remove cedar trees from your property, and you may want to for various reasons. Maybe you\u2019d only rather have oaks on your property. Maybe you just don\u2019t like the looks of the cedars.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">But if you think the few cedars on your property are causing your allergy issues, remember that there are still thousands of trees in the Hill Country. If a cold front kicks up the winds from the north in the wintertime, that pollen is still going to be an issue.<\/p>\n<p>Keeping up with the pollen count<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Every morning, on KSAT 12 &amp; <a href=\"http:\/\/ksat.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">KSAT.com<\/a>, Your Weather Authority reports the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ksat.com\/weather\/pollen-count\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">pollen count<\/a>. To understand more about the pollen count process, check out this nifty article: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ksat.com\/weather\/2021\/01\/27\/how-does-the-pollen-count-for-san-antonio-work\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>How does the pollen count for San Antonio work?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\"><b>Read more from the meteorologists on the <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ksat.com\/topic\/Whatever_The_Weather\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Whatever the Weather page<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ksat.com\/weather\/2019\/10\/14\/ksats-new-weather-app-is-a-hyperlocal-easy-to-use-tool-for-san-antonio-and-beyond\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Download KSAT\u2019s weather app<\/b><\/a><b> for customized, accurate forecasts in San Antonio, South Texas or wherever you are<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\"><b>Find the latest forecasts, radar and alerts on the <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ksat.com\/weather\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>KSAT Weather Authority page<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Copyright 2025 by KSAT &#8211; All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It\u2019s back&#8230; mountain cedar has returned to the pollen count for the first time this season, thanks to&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":433586,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5133],"tags":[5229,201105,201104,7202,7203,358,3187,67,586,132,5230,68,2969,35099],"class_list":{"0":"post-433585","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-san-antonio","8":"tag-america","9":"tag-mountain-cedar","10":"tag-pollen-count","11":"tag-san-antonio","12":"tag-sanantonio","13":"tag-texas","14":"tag-tx","15":"tag-united-states","16":"tag-united-states-of-america","17":"tag-unitedstates","18":"tag-unitedstatesofamerica","19":"tag-us","20":"tag-usa","21":"tag-whatever-the-weather"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115684815998826288","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/433585","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=433585"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/433585\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/433586"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=433585"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=433585"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=433585"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}