Itchy, watery eyes, scratchy throat and nose.

Just a few symptoms some folks have to endure as the season changes.

Carl Azuz takes a deep breath and delivers the bad news for the nation's pollen sufferers.

Whether or not you believe in the perfunctory prognosticatikons of Punxsutawney Phil, who said spring's coming early this year, there's something in the air we can count on every year.

Yes, pollen.

As in, "pollen me while I sneeze again."

You can blame men for this one, at least male components of plants.

They produce countless grains of the stuff that fertilizes other plants, but also, sometimes, winds up planted in our noses.

Here's the fun part, and by fun, I mean terrible.

In some parts of the U.S., pollen season is starting earlier this year.

Tree pollen is supposed to peak in March, grass pollen in the following weeks.

But regions from the nation's capital to north Texas saw pollen counts spike in February.

What does that mean?

Well, researchers count the number of pollen grains in a cubic meter of air.

A count of 120 or more is considered "high."

But in recent years, the southeast has seen counts in the thousands.

If you're not allergic, you'll notice the pollen on your yellow car, which didn't start out yellow.

If you are allergic, you'll know by the coughing, sneezing, wheezing, sniffling, allergic suffering that pollen brings you.

The worst times for pollen are dawn and dusk, so you wannt try to be indoors then.

The best? Right after it rainsm, when the air is clearer.

Here's hoping your pollen season, isn't appallin'.