Austin, TX
Cedar Fever season underway in Central Texas
Cedar Fever season arrives in Central Texas
It is Cedar Fever season and many in Central Texas are starting to feel the symptoms.
AUSTIN – Cedar Fever season is in full swing across Central Texas and is expected to last through February.
Itchy eyes, runny nose, scratchy throat, symptoms are all too familiar for central Texans.
Dr. Ronald Cox of Greater Austin Allergy says it has noticed an uptick in patients coming in with those symptoms.
“Unfortunately, this is one of the most beautiful times in Central Texas. There’s beautiful weather outside and you can’t go outside because of the cedar,” said Dr. Cox.
Cedar allergies, otherwise known as “Cedar Fever”, are in full swing. It’s an allergic reaction to pollen from mountain cedar trees, also known as juniper trees.
“What’s unique about Cedar Fever is it actually feels like you do have a fever and wipes people out,” said Dr. Cox. “This one actually makes you feel bad.”
Dr. Cox says it’s unique to Texas because other areas don’t typically have an allergy season in the winter months.
“It’s not the cedar that’s in your backyard. The wind can carry pollens up to 300 miles. So, it’s what’s indigenous to your area and the Hill Country is just loaded with cedar,” said Dr. Cox.
While the season typically begins around Christmastime, Dr. Cox says this year it came at the start of December. He anticipates it will last until February.
According to FOX 7 Austin’s Pollen Sense Sensor, you can see a jump in the cedar level at the beginning of the month.
According to Dr. Cox, it’ll get worse before it gets better.
“Probably the latter part of December 1st and a couple of weeks of January should be a peak,” said Cox.
But there are things Texans can do to alleviate symptoms. Dr. Cox says it depends on what those look like.
“A lot of people will have itchy, runny, sneeze and if that’s your main complaint, the over-the-counter antihistamines work well for that,” Dr. Cox said.
Dr. Cox says if your main concern is itchy or watery eyes, he recommends over-the-counter eye drops.
To avoid allergy symptoms, he also recommends keeping your windows closed.
You can also track the pollen outlook for your week.
You can find more information here.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas’ highway system dropped two spots since 2025, and now ranks at No. 27 in the country for its cost-effectiveness and overall conditions, according to the Reason Foundation’s 2026 Highway Report.
The report assessed pavement conditions, fatalities, deficient bridges, infrastructure costs and congestion levels across the United States. Texas earned the following rankings:
- 33rd in urban interstate pavement conditions
- 21st in rural interstate pavement conditions
- 39th in urban arterial pavement conditions
- 12th in rural arterial pavement conditions
- 3rd in structurally deficient bridges
- 26th in urban fatality rate
- 42nd in rural fatality rate
- 41st in traffic congestion
“More than 42,000 of the nation’s 618,923 highway bridges, nearly 7%, are still structurally deficient. Arizona, Nevada, and Texas reported the lowest percentages of deficient bridges,” the report said.
The full report can be found online.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Small hail peppered the Austin area as strong thunderstorms moved through Saturday.
A few of the storms dropped rain and up to pea-sized hail in San Marcos, Dripping Springs and the Austin metro area.
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for Williamson County around 8:15 p.m., and then canceled shortly after. However, it was enough for the Two Step Inn music festival in Georgetown to cancel shows for the rest of the evening. Event organizers say the festival will run as planned Sunday.
KXAN’s First Warning Weather team is monitoring the storms. We will update this post as the evening continues.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Society Sons of the American Revolution unveiled a new monument at the Texas State Cemetery on Saturday, dedicated to Texas Revolutionary War soldiers.
“We must educate every generation about why it is that America grew from a tenuous 13 colonies into the most powerful country in the history of the world,” said Governor Abbott. “This monument here is an enduring testament to the heroes who fought for the freedom that is unique to America.”
The monument was dedicated to 69 soldiers who fought in the American Revolutionary War and later settled in Texas, according to a press release.
Among those that were honored, Abbott recognized:
- José Santiago Seguín, grandfather of Texas Revolutionary hero Juan Seguín.
- Peter Sides, who fought in the 2nd Battalion of the North Carolina Regiment of the Colonial Army, and was later killed in the 1813 Battle of Medina, fighting for Mexican independence against Spain.
- Antonio Gil Y’Barbo, the founder of Nacogdoches.
- William Sparks, who fought as a mounted rifleman in the American Revolution and later settled in Texas. He had two sons and two grandsons who fought in the Texas Revolution.
“This year marks the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, which not only gave freedom to the British colonies of North America, but inspired movements for freedom and liberty all over the world,” said TSSAR President Mel Oller. “Texans played a role in the war too, and it’s important to recognize them, and the sacrifices they made for our freedom.”
At the monument unveiling, Abbott was also inducted into the Sons of the American Revolution and received its Silver Good Citizenship Medal.
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