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Kiyotsugu Tsukuma | a.collectionRF | Getty Images Move over, pollen vortex, the pollen tsunami is here. A ferocious winter, delayed spring and even the beginnings of climate change have
created a "pollen tsunami" that is slamming allergy sufferers in the Northeast, says one expert. (TWEET THIS) Oak and birch trees — the "big bad" pollen makers — are
coming out at the same time as the seasonal ones like poplar, alder and ash. And soon the grass pollens arrive. "It's a triple whammy," Dr. Clifford Bassett, medical director
of Allergy & Asthma Care of New York. "The early and mid-spring tree pollen and the grasses are hitting all at once to create misery and suffering." READ MORE FROM NBC NEWS: LA
next in battle over all-girls science, tech schools Why Hillary flip-flopped on big money in politics More older entrepreneurs finding success Winter snow and rains fed tree root systems
and triggered a "robust response," according to Bassett. And now, a deluge of pollen is irritating susceptible sinuses and leaving its telltale green residue on porches and window
sills. And don't think you are off Scot-free if you live in a big city, said Bassett. Air pollution makes people even more susceptible to allergies. "It's pretty bad — you can
actually see it on your car," said Guy Robinson, who teaches in the natural science department at New York's Fordham University and runs its two pollen testing stations. But,
Robinson said, the pollen numbers are not "unusually high" for the first week of May. Read More Researchers may have cure for peanut allergies "We haven't seen anything
close to record-breaking." Does this mean it could get worse? Experts say if you have allergies, check the pollen count and stay indoors if it's high. Use air conditioning and
exercise indoors. Wear a hat and sunglasses when outdoors. Home cleaning tips for allergy sufferers * If you live in the suburbs, don't hang clothes out to dry. * Wash your face after
going outdoors. * Keep pollen-laden clothing out of the bedroom. * Keep floors clean. * Consider "air-cleaning" indoor plants like English ivy and bamboo palm. As for the nasty
green pollen that lands on the porch, don't sweep, hose it down. "I am allergic myself and I use a wet mop," said Robinson. Allergist Bassett agrees. Read More 3 ways to avoid
high health-care costs in retirement "Sweeping can drive the smallest pollen particles into your breathable space," said Bassett. "Wear a pollen or dust mask to avoid it or
just ask a non-allergy friend [to do it]."