By Stacia Kalinoski

EUGENE, Ore.--Allergy sufferers out there, you are probably wondering when this seemingly endless pollen season will end.  Usually, it is the Fourth of July, but a few factors are drawing out pollen season this year.

The main issue is that summer started late because of all the rain this spring.  And when the hot weather finally appeared, the pollen came out in full force.  That's according to Oregon Allergy Associates.  They collect the official pollen count for the Willamette Valley every morning.  A physician there says 990 was the highest count this year.  That's a number the valley hasn't seen since 2003.  He says the high count and late start to summer caught many allergy sufferers off guard.

Dr. Jason H. Frieson of the Oregon Allergy Associates said, "Seems to if anything been more bothered this year because of that abrupt start to the season. It could have also been that people were lulled into that false sense of security and not started their medicines like they normally would have."

Wednesday's count was 80, which Dr. Friesen says is still high enough to trigger symptoms.  But the good news is that Dr. Friesen says you should only have to put up with the pollen for another week or two.

He says now is the time for allergy sufferers to start looking at long-term options.  For those who are trying to get by on medicine like Claritin, he  recommends trying allergy shots for next year.