Doesn't really matter where you live, or whether there is clearing
Ashe Juniper pods in Texas burst and release pollen annually on their own. Usually occurs in Mid December.
Once those pods burst, it's out there --- from the Rio Grande to the Red River
Yeah it's stronger if you inhale a cloud that just burst off a nearby tree, but once it starts it will be there for a month or more, and is a regional issue that thankfully dissipates after a few weeks
Just a natural annual occurance that affects a large swath of area in Texas every year. It has gotten worse as the Ashe Juniper has proliferated