Tree pollen in Omaha: March starts, April peaks, and April is Eppley's windiest month
UNMC allergist Jill Poole said Nebraska trees begin pollinating in March and are in full swing by early to mid-April. NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals make April the windiest month at Eppley Airfield, averaging 11.8 mph, with north the most common wind direction in March and April. UNMC's advice for tree season is to keep windows closed so the pollen stays out of the bedroom.
Count to watch: UNMC's Tuesday and Thursday counts, which name the trees producing the most pollen.
Posted during peak season on the UNMC Allergy and Immunology page and its social accounts. Open it
Spring at Eppley Airfield
| Month | Average wind | Most common direction | Average dew point |
|---|---|---|---|
| March | 11.3 mph | North | 28°F |
| April | 11.8 mph | North | 38°F |
| May | 10.5 mph | Southeast | 50°F |
Our averages of NOAA’s 1991 to 2020 hourly normals for Eppley Airfield. For comparison, August is the calmest month at 8.2 mph. NOAA’s median date for the last 32°F night of spring at Eppley is April 18, so the trees are already releasing pollen while frost is still possible.
Why April is the month to watch
In April, Poole’s 2014 timeline puts Nebraska’s trees in full swing by early to mid-April, and Eppley’s normals make April the windiest month of the year. Rorie added in 2022 that wind changes where pollen comes from, not just how much there is: he noted that cedar pollen traced to Texas has been collected as far north as Ontario. So an April count in Omaha can include grains from well beyond the city.
Windows, clothes and the bed
UNMC’s spring advice is practical rather than medical:
- Keep the bedroom windows closed. Poole called tree pollen hardy and longer lasting once it gets inside, and said closed windows keep it out of the room where you sleep.
- Change clothes after time outdoors, as Poole advised in 2014, and wash your hands and face or shower before you lie down on the bed.
- Watch Eppley’s wind as well as UNMC’s count. A low count on a calm day and the same count on an 11 mph April afternoon aren’t the same day outdoors.
Booking a spring cleaning
A spring appointment with us lands on a weekday in Poole’s full-swing weeks, so if tree pollen bothers someone in the house, keep the windows shut afterwards and use the air conditioning or a fan instead. Sleep Sanitation covers why mites, pollen and dander need different steps in why dust mite control needs more than one step. Check your care label and warranty terms before booking.
Asked about tree season
When does UNMC say tree pollen starts?
In a March 2014 UNMC release, allergist Jill Poole said Nebraska's trees begin pollinating in March and should be in full swing by early to mid-April. UNMC's own counts, posted on Tuesdays and Thursdays in peak season, show which trees lead in a given week.
Why does Eppley's April wind matter?
UNMC's Andrew Rorie said in 2022 that windy days like those in late April affect how much pollen circulates and where it comes from. Eppley Airfield's normals put April's average wind at 11.8 mph, the highest of any month.
Can I open the bedroom windows after an April mattress cleaning?
UNMC's 2014 advice for tree season was to keep windows closed so pollen stays out of the room where you sleep; in April, Eppley's windiest month, run the air conditioning or a fan instead.
Sources
Changelog
- October 3, 2026: First published with wind, dew point and freeze normals computed from NOAA's Eppley Airfield files.
Published October 3, 2026. Written by Omaha Mattress Cleaning, operated by Sleep Sanitation. General information, not medical advice.
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