The mild winter Pittsburgh has experienced is a welcome break for many people.

However, those who dread allergy season aren’t happy because it’s already arrived.

“If we have a warmer, earlier spring, then people will have respiratory symptoms earlier on,” Pam Griggs, a lab technician at the Atlanta Allergy and Asthma Clinic, said. “If you know you have spring allergies and are more sensitive to pollen that come out in spring then you can keep track of certain pollen counts.”

A machine outside the clinic catches pollen and Griggs then examines the spores under a microscope. Instead of being in single digits, which is normal for February, some days the pollen count has reached 250.

Dr. Fernando Holguin, who works with the Asthma Institute at UPMC, said now is the time to act.

“I think it’s important for people who are really allergic to pollens in the spring to act now,” Holguin said. “For example, those who have a lot of nasal symptoms and are always congested and sneezing.”

Experts advise anyone with strong allergies to be prepared in case spring makes an early arrival.