In All My 58 Years I Have Never Seen The Likes Of This
By fishtiger58
@fishtiger58 (29823)
Momence, Illinois
March 20, 2017 9:27am CST
As many of you know I went on a 1 week trip to the east coast with my husband and son. That was 3 weeks ago today, my son is still traveling and is currently heading east after going all the way to the west coast, but he is heading east again and is in Utah today. But that's not what this post is all about.
This is about our last stop in the Charleston South Carolina. We camped about 30 miles north of Charleston in the Francis Marion National Forest. I had talked to a few people from Charleston and was told that the weather and temperatures were a bit unusual for the end of February. It was in the 70's and 80's while we were there. When we went to Charleston and other places in the area we all went in my son's car. So my van remained parked the entire two days we were there.
Someone mentioned that the pollen was horrible for this time of year and that they were experiencing allergies when usually they don't in February. I don't have allergies so I don't usually notice that sort of thing. But this time I did for the first time in my life.
My van stayed parked in the parking area next to our camp our entire stay. About 24 hours after we got there I was walking towards my van and noticed a dirty front windshield. It wasn't bad when we parked how the heck did it get so dirty. When I got to the van I could see the dirt was yellowish in appearance. For goodness sakes it was pollen, and it covered not only the windshield but the entire van. My son's car parked next to my van was also covered. Never in my life have I seen this. I turned on the wipers and washers and cleaned off the window so I could see out of them, and the washer fluid ran down my windows and it was a beautiful yellow color.
I have never seen so much pollen cover anything like this in my life. Apparently we don't get so much pollen in the air in Illinois that it covers things like my van was covered.
I'm thinking that the south is not a good place with those with severe allergies. Man that was so shocking to me to see this I had to take some pictures.
29 people like this
31 responses
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
20 Mar 17
We are quite used to everything being covered in pollen. It takes the power washer to get it off of the back screened porch and all the things on that porch. We power wash for days to get rid of pollen. Your photo is not there, but I know exactly what you are talking about. Oh, we keep our car in th garage and it gets pollen covered in there!
I refreshed and the photo is there - you think that's a lot - that's nothing - minor to what we'll haev in a month or so. This is prime allergy area and allergy docs are a dime a dozen!
3 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
22 Mar 17
@fishtiger58 When the pollen is bad I'll take a photo for you.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
22 Mar 17
It was certainly a first for me, we never get that amount of pollen on anything around here.
@MarshaMusselman (38616)
• Midland, Michigan
23 Mar 17
Ha, at first I thought you were surprised to see how dirty someone else let their windshield get. You can't really tell with this picture that it's pollen all over the window, but I can imagine that it is. We get some sort of pollen off the red maples in the outlawn. I never noticed how bad it was until I happened to have my minivan parked on the street one afternoon. The pollen was even worse than it was on your vehicle. For one thing it was over the course of the afternoon and not over several days.
The pollen on your vehicle looks like dirt it's so fine. The stuff on mine was little globules of pollen. I took pictures too, but I'm sure I'd have no idea which folder I put them in. If I ever get around to labeling all my photos I'll be doing good.
2 people like this
@MarshaMusselman (38616)
• Midland, Michigan
23 Mar 17
@fishtiger58 In a vague sort of type of way, but don't worry, I believe you. Why would you lie about something like that? If I didn't have a similar event last year for the very first time, I might scratch my head a bit longer, but pollen can be quite nasty and not all pollen is the same.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
23 Mar 17
My windshield was clean when I parked it, but you can sort of tell it's yellow can't you?
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
23 Mar 17
@MarshaMusselman I'm really glad none of us have allergies it could have been ugly.
2 people like this
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
20 Mar 17
@fishtiger58 Yes, they probably have to use pills every day to control the allergic reaction.
I pity them.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
20 Mar 17
@scheng1 I'm pretty sure if I had allergies I wouldn't live there.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
20 Mar 17
It was so shocking to me, I have never seen pollen cover things like this where I come from. I would think that those with allergies suffer greatly there.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (130067)
• India
21 Mar 17
That is what we see all over these days. Trees are acting funny. Our mango trees flowered thrice this season
2 people like this
@allknowing (130067)
• India
22 Mar 17
@fishtiger58 I feel sad for the trees. They are confused
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
22 Mar 17
We are only in our 2nd day of spring so it's still very cold here, nothing much growing yet. But in the south they do as witnessed by all the pollen on our car. I was shocked, never seen anything like this.
2 people like this
@infatuatedbby (95001)
• United States
20 Mar 17
Wow that is a lot of pollen! Plants must grow well there.
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (95001)
• United States
20 Mar 17
@fishtiger58 Me neither. IT was raining pollen for ya!
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
22 Mar 17
@infatuatedbby Maybe if I have better eyesight I could have seen it raining pollen lol.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
20 Mar 17
they sure must it was an unbelievable amount of pollen. I was pretty shocked by this never seen that much pollen before in my life.
1 person likes this
@just4him (305417)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
30 Mar 17
@fishtiger58 Three - wow! Do people cover their cars so they don't get all that pollen on them?
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
29 Mar 17
It took 3 washings to get it off Valerie, it was something.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
1 Apr 17
@just4him I didn't see anything like covers on cars, but I think I would have to consider that if I lived there.
1 person likes this
@divalounger (5849)
• United States
22 Mar 17
welcome to climate change and I suspect this will get worse in the south--we in the west will just keep getting more dry
1 person likes this
@divalounger (5849)
• United States
22 Mar 17
@fishtiger58 It is a good thing--but we need years of rain at this point for the underground water to replenish
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
22 Mar 17
No kidding about climate change, I was shocked by this much pollen. We don't get this in my part of Illinois. California got some rain this winter though and that's a good thing for them.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
22 Mar 17
@divalounger And hopefully you will get it. Water has never been a problem where I live, 50 miles due south of Chicago.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
20 Mar 17
Isn't that amazing to see, I was stunned by it and just had to take a pic to share. I'm thinking some see this all the time but never never have I.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (111073)
• El Paso, Texas
20 Mar 17
It's strange alright @fishtiger58
Was it hard to clean off the windshield?
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
20 Mar 17
@rebelann I had to use the washers and wipers just to see to get to the gas station, but yea hubby had to clean them twice before it was all gone.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (457323)
• Switzerland
22 Mar 17
@fishtiger58 Some pollen are even hard to wash, they leave a yellowish color on the car.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
22 Mar 17
We just don't get that in my part of Illinois so it was a new experience for me.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
23 Mar 17
@LadyDuck That's what Abby was saying they have to power wash stuff.
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@Tampa_girl7 (48886)
• United States
6 Apr 17
That's a very normal sight for us here in Mississippi and my poor husband has severe allergies.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Apr 17
I have to say I was just shocked to see this, we have never had pollen like this in Illinois. I don't have allergies but I'm so sorry for your hubby.
@DianneN (246334)
• United States
24 Mar 17
@fishtiger58 We get some on our cars in CT, but none like that!
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
29 Mar 17
@DianneN I have lived in Illinois my whole life, never have I seen this.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
23 Mar 17
I have never had pollen on my car like that, it was amazing to me.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
2 Apr 17
I have heard this but never seen this in my life. We just don't get pollen this bad in my area of Illinois.
@ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
23 Mar 17
oh, my gosh, the pollen caused this in your car? i hope nobody in your family suffer from allergies.
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
23 Mar 17
@fishtiger58 maybe the atmosphere is clouded with these pollen especially when it is windy. oh, if i am there, i might have stuffy nose and allergies.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
29 Mar 17
@ridingbet I just couldn't live there if I had allergies, I hear it's like having a cold all the time. No thanks.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
23 Mar 17
No none of us do, but can you believe how much is covering my van? It was amazing and something I had never seen before.
1 person likes this
@MarymargII (12422)
• Toronto, Ontario
22 Mar 17
Are you sure it was pollen? Seems strange for Spring. But I guess, what else would it be--- ??
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
22 Mar 17
Yup I asked some locals to be sure, but it's pollen. Pretty incredible.
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@MarymargII (12422)
• Toronto, Ontario
23 Mar 17
@fishtiger58 Glad you were not too allergic- ha!
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@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
27 Mar 17
I would probably be dying there as well.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
29 Mar 17
I'm glad I don't have allergies or I would have been miserable on my trip, and that's no fun at all.
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
27 Mar 17
I have seen that kind of pollen in the south before. It is overwhelming
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
29 Mar 17
It's amazing to see, as I said I have never seen anything like this before. I sure wouldn't live there if I had allergies.
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@DaddyEvil (137145)
• United States
29 Mar 17
Sweet picture, tiger! LOL! Now you know somewhat how my car looks most days during the Spring and early Summer here in Missouri! (I say "somewhat" because my windshield is covered sometimes up to almost a 16th of an inch in brilliant yellow pollen!)
Several times last Spring the National Weather Service put out a pollen warning here where I live! The index has to be very HIGH before they put out a warning like that!
You know I suffer from a lot of different allergies... I have missed work twice last week and once, so far, this week. I am not enjoying myself! 
I knew you had gone on a bit of a drive, but I guess I wasn't quite present when I read about where you were going. All I can remember was you were planning on being gone for a few days.
I'm happy to know your trip went well, and everyone survived! LOL!
I knew you had gone on a bit of a drive, but I guess I wasn't quite present when I read about where you were going. All I can remember was you were planning on being gone for a few days.
I'm happy to know your trip went well, and everyone survived! LOL!1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
29 Mar 17
This was in South Carolina, my first trip there, but I had no idea the pollen was like this. Occasionally we will have a pollen warning here too but we don't actually see it. Yup we were gone a week, my son continued on and just got home a few days ago. He traveled all the way to the west coast and drove more than 10,000 miles. He had a wonderful time, now he is ready to close his university office and get a job.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118365)
• Gainesville, Florida
30 Mar 17
Yes, I live this horrible pollen nightmare every year! The yellow pollen gets so thick (just like you experienced), that I have to stop at a gas station about every 2 days to use the squeegee to wash off my windshield, just so I can see to drive. It's really as bad as people say it is.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
30 Mar 17
I'm actually glad I got to see something I have never seen before. Glad it doesn't get this bad in Illinois I would hate to have to deal with this all the time. I don't have allergies so that part doesn't bother me.
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
24 Mar 17
Holy Cow, that is a lot of pollen, perhaps because its spring in the south. We don't see that much either, As a kid I was alerigic to pollen but thankfully with age I lost that title.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
29 Mar 17
I have never seen this in Illinois. I was pretty amazed by this.
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@JamesHxstatic (29233)
• Eugene, Oregon
23 Mar 17
I recall that there was heavy yellow pollen the year I lived in Spokane, Washington too. It would cover the car pretty much.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
23 Mar 17
Oh really wow. It was pretty surprising to me.
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