Allergy season, marked by itchy eyes, sniffles and asthma flare ups, is becoming longer for most U.S. cities due to climate change — but not here.
A Climate Central report found Tulsa is one of a few cities to have a shorter freeze-free season — the number of consecutive days between a place’s last freeze in the spring season and first freeze in the fall season — than it did in the 1970s, with 15 fewer days than it did 50 years ago.
In comparison, the freeze-free growing season increased from 1970 to 2025 in nearly 90% of the 198 U.S. cities analyzed in the report. The average increase was 21 days. Spring allergies typically begin in February and last until the early summer. During this time, plants release tiny pollen grains to fertilize other plants of the same species.
But the intensity of allergy season might make it hard to believe it’s getting shorter.
Gary McManus, an Oklahoma climatologist, questioned the study’s usage of the freeze-free period as a barometer.
“Allergies aren’t just the freeze-free period, how long they have to grow. It’s also the accumulation of heat,” McManus said. “So even during the winter months, as that heat starts to accumulate, even though we’re still having occasional freezes that allows some of the allergies to still occur.”
That’s part of the reason the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America’s 2026 report found Tulsa as the third-most challenging city to live in for people with a pollen allergy.
The report ranks cities based on how many days each city has high or very high pollen counts, over-the-counter allergy medicine use and availability of board-certified allergists or immunologists.
Tulsa ranked “worse than average” for both high pollen counts and over the counter allergy medicine. The city received an average score for the amount of specialists available.
Most of the pollen causing allergic reactions come from trees, grasses and weeds. Pollen grains travel by wind and can find their way into people’s eyes, noses and lungs triggering allergy symptoms.
Nearby cities, like Oklahoma City, Dallas and Fayetteville, Arkansas, all saw increases, according to the Central Climate study which was another cause of concern for McManus.
“If those are all increasing, if Tulsa is getting wind from those directions, well, then they’re getting the allergens from those places where it’s supposedly increasing,” he said. “So again, I don’t think this is any reason for Tulsa to celebrate having a shorter season.”
A more intense allergy season may affect a person’s day to day and make conditions like asthma more difficult to manage. One in four adults and one in five kids are affected by seasonal allergies.
Ismael Lele is a Report for America corps member and writes about business in Tulsa for The Oklahoma Eagle. Your donation to match our Report for America grant helps keep him writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting this link.
