A reprieve from pollen
Although this time of year is typically one of high pollen counts, recent rainy weather has temporarily knocked pollen out of the air. In an April 29 online weather update, WMUR warned New Hampshire allergy sufferers that this is usually the high point of airborne pollen in the state. “Late April and early May mark the peak of tree pollen season in New Hampshire,” the report read. “Maple, birch, and juniper are currently the dominant allergens, though nearly every tree species produces pollen.” Recent rainy weather has brought some relief, however. According to a May 5 15-Day Allergy Forecast by the Weather Channel (weather.com/forecast/allergy) area pollen counts should remain low through the weekend.
QOL score: +1 for a ah ah ahchoo break
Comment: The same allergy forecast projects a return to between “Moderate” and “Very High” levels starting around May 12.
Your package is not waiting to be delivered
According to a recent study by online technology education website Fullstack Academy, the most common way for New Hampshire residents to get scammed out of their personal data is through fake messages claiming that the target has a package or online order that can’t be delivered without more information. According to an April 4 blog post by Fullstack Academy, “Shipping scams are so prevalent that the [U.S. Postal Service] has guides to detecting and protecting yourself from such impersonators. Per [Federal Trade Commission] data, consumers lost $12.5 billion in 2024 to scams, with imposter scams accounting for $2.95 billion in losses alone.”
QOL score: -1
Comment: According to the study, “women are more likely than men to receive phishing lures impersonating shipping companies. Out of all female respondents, 54% said they’ve received USPS scams, while just 46% of male respondents said so. And with UPS-impersonated scams, 53% of women reported receiving one, while just 45% of men have received one.” To read more about this report, search online for fullstackacademy.com and “Phishing Lures.”
Hot. Very, very hot.
A May 2 story from Patch.com warns that this summer will bring “brutally hot weather for our part of the country.” A comparison of “NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, The Old Farmer’s Almanac, and Farmers’ Almanac shares predictions for the Granite State’s summer weather,” the story reported, and the consensus is that this summer will probably be another one of record-breaking heat. “A three-month outlook from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center calls for above-average temperatures across the country from June through August, with pockets of extreme heat in the desert Southwest and parts of the Northeast. In New Hampshire, temperatures have a 70 to 80 percent chance of being above average.”
QOL score: -1
Comment: “Last year saw one of the hottest summers on record,” Patch.com reported, “with a nationwide average temperature of 73.8 degrees Fahrenheit, or 2.5 degrees above normal. It was also Earth’s hottest summer since global records began in 1880, surpassing a 2023 record.”
QOL score: 66
Net change: -2
QOL this week: 64
What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire?
Let us know at news@hippopress.com.
