Is tick season starting earlier than usual in 2026?

While tick season is generally known to start in warmer weather months, experts have forecasted an early start this year due to irregular weather patterns that allow the pests to survive.

Ticks and other pests can stay protected beneath thick snow layers — like those created by recent snowstorms, experts say.

As of last month, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station had already received ticks for testing, according to a Connecticut Public report.

And as temperatures rise, the National Pest Management Association is warning Americans to expect more ticks, which often carry diseases like Lyme disease.

Across the U.S. more than 89,000 cases of Lyme disease were reported in the latest surveillance data to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Symptoms of early-stage Lyme disease include muscle and joint ache, headache, fever, chills, fatigue, and swollen lymph nodes.