North Carolina Has 12 Seasons, Not Four (And One Of Them Is The Absolute Worst Time To Visit)

If you're from North Carolina, you've probably seen the memes and experienced the truth behind them for yourself: North Carolina seems like it has 12 seasons. In addition to winter, spring, summer, and fall, the state's other unique periods are playfully nicknamed Fool's Spring, Second Winter, Spring of Deception, Third Winter, The Pollening, Hell's Front Porch, False Fall, and Second Summer. If you're traveling to the Tar Heel State for the first time, you should know that it's not just a joke. The North Carolina State Climate Office did the research and found that, believe it or not, their data actually matched up loosely with the patterns described by the jokey names. While travelers might plan around the heat of summer, locals actually seem to hate "The Pollening" the most.

North Carolina may be home to one of America's prettiest downtowns, beach destinations, and delicious barbecue, but you might want to think twice before you go for an afternoon stroll, depending on the time of year. In the springtime, North Carolina gets blanketed in a thick, yellow-green haze so intense that it coats car windshields. The pollen floats in the air like noxious mist and gives lots of people horrendous seasonal allergy symptoms. Unless you're prepared to take allergy meds, wash all your clothes, and take a shower religiously every time you go for a walk, you might want to schedule your trip through North Carolina during any other time of year. Fortunately, the state has another 11 seasons to choose from.

The viral joke about North Carolina's 12 seasons puts the pollening right between Third Winter and Actual Spring — but if you're trying to pick the perfect time to visit the East's highest mountain resort, you'll need a more specific timeline. The main contributor to this unbelievable phenomenon is pine pollen, and it typically is at its peak for about three weeks. Unfortunately, exactly when this event falls varies depending on the weather. If there are enough days over 55 degrees Fahrenheit, the pollen starts. The more warm days there are, the faster peak pollen hits and the particles descend on the state.

If you're going to be in North Carolina during this season, you'll probably want to avoid going out early in the morning, especially if there's a breeze. When the weather is cool and wet, you're less likely to come back to your hotel with your shoes coated in yellow dust. If you don't want to be there when it happens, your best bet is to avoid the middle and eastern parts of the state entirely in February and March. It's worth noting that the North Carolina Climate Office, which tracked its data to the 12 seasons people joked about online, made The Pollening slightly longer and significantly later, putting it from the very end of March until the end of May. Unfortunately, as winters get warmer globally, there is a risk that The Pollening may go on a lot longer in future years. You can avoid this season completely and visit the underrated town of Ocean Isle Beach during October for Halloween festivities.