By: Bridget Shanahan

Blue skies helped officially bring in the first calendar day of spring, although there's patchy snow on the ground you might find yourself waking up with itchy eyes and a runny nose.

As allergy season starts this year, doctors say prepare for the worst.

We still have some snow on the ground around town, evidence of an above average winter.

More water means more pollen...some are already getting their shots for the sneezin' season.

It needs no invitation, and usually springs itself on you in the morning.

Sneezin' season has just begun, or in this year's case the super sneezin' season.

"With all the snow and moisture, it's going to feed all the grasses and trees and weeds, and I expect a very heavy pollen year," Dr. Gene Petty said.

Allergy Specialist Dr. Gene Petty sees patients year round, but his office is buzzing right along with the birds and bees as spring gets sprung.

There's a growing waiting list.

Plus, row after row of allergy meds are waiting to put an end to your sniffles and watery eyes.

"The Catch 22 of course is we're finally able to get outside; we've been cooped up all winter.  And bingo what's out there waiting for us," Dr. Petty added.

Trees and grass pollens are paving the way for a brutal season Eilee Fahnestock and her mom come to Dr. Petty's office twice a week for her shots.

"Itchy eyes stuffed up and yeah sometimes asthma.  It's hard to breath," Eilee said.

"Sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes, runny eyes, congestion," Eilee's Mom, Heather Fahnestock said.

And although Eilee helps her body fight off the inevitable, her mom has decided to face her symptoms alone.

"We'll see how it goes hopefully it won't be too bad."

The snowpack is making things worse this year, but you can take a cheaper route by using Claritin or something like this.      

You may have heard of the neti-pot and this works almost the same way.

You just take this packet with distilled water and it flushes out your sinus passages.

And if you're feeling moody and blame it on your allergies, you're not alone a new survey sited in US News and World Report says more than 60% of people do.