California, Montana, Arizona, Oregon
I’ve lived in southern California (Los Angeles), western Montana (Missoula and Bozeman), Arizona (Tucson and Phoenix), and northern Oregon (Portland). The best experience I’ve had is Tucson and the second best is Phoenix. The worst so far has been Portland.
My opinion is that in Arizona it’s so dry and hot that after April nothing blooms again until January or February, giving a person 9 months of light allergies to complete allergy relief. However, beware that Arizona has become not as good for allergy sufferers over the years due to the increasing amount of grass (golf courses and master planned developments); that being said, there’s a movement to introduce more xeriscaping (desert landscaping) which may, in time, restore the natural balance in the area.
In Montana, there are some rough months (May/June/July) but it’s so cold and wet that there’s not a lot that happens allergy wise from October through April.
Portland, OR has been terrible. Every day’s worth of rain brings days worth of blooming and, when things aren’t blooming, they’re moldy. I’ve yet to find a prescription or OTC medication that manages my Portland hay fever. Symptoms range from constricted breathing to extended sneezing sessions. — TK, Oregon
Not sure about Montana, but I have lived in Arizona, California, Texas, and Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and New York. I guess I need the humidity for myself - dry heat cracks the nose and I have lived in tucson, Az and Phoenix for about a total of 10 years - it was only in Arizona - I was tested for Valley Fever, and got viral pnemonia and whooping cough last year. I get itchy ears in Portand and Eugene Oregon - was okay in So. California (Newport Beach) and in Seattle on the coast. But mold and fungus in the wetter regions in Wisconsin made me cough more. Michigan and minnesota I lived near water and I faired quite well. So anyplace with running water is good - standing water attracts mosquitos - not fond of west valley nile virus.
Comment by Julie Brookfield — June 3, 2008 @ 8:24 pm