Washington [US], For the past two years, researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Global Systems Laboratory (GSL) have been developing a first-of-its-kind pollen forecast in the US. Forecasters can estimate both the effects of weather on pollen concentrations and how pollen loads will affect the weather. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Associated Medical Costs, more than 80 million Americans suffer from seasonal allergies caused by airborne pollen. Costing more than US$3 billion each year, about half of which is associated with prescription drug costs, pollen is an equal-opportunity irritant, especially during the spring, summer and fall when wind-blown pollen from trees, grasses and weeds. Can be at its highest level. Accurate pollen forecasts can help victims reduce their exposure just as they could on high ozone days. The experimental model is generating pollen forecasts from summer 2022 and performs similarly to commercial pollen forecasts. It traces the connection between air quality and weather ''With real-time predictions of pollen and where it is carried, people can adjust their outdoor activities, medications, and other medications to ensure their well-being. We can take precautions,” said Jordan Schnell of the Cooperative Institute. "Pollen and its associated allergens are important components of people's everyday lives," said Schnell, a Center for Environmental Science (CIRES) research scientist who works at NOAA's Global Systems Laboratory.