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Get your tissues ready for watery eyes and runny noses this week, as high pollen levels could spell misery for millions of hay fever sufferers.
The Met Office forecast predicts a “very high” pollen count will spread across the UK as hay fever sufferers brace for a “pollen bomb”.
This week a “very high” pollen count is forecast to hit most of the UK on Thursday, with only Scotland getting away with “high” levels and “medium” levels in the highlands.
For southern England and Wales, pollen levels will be “very high” throughout the week and high pollen levels will move northwards throughout the week.
However, hay fever sufferers will get some rest over the weekend as pollen levels drop in some parts of the UK on Saturday. But misery will continue across most of England’s midlands and east coast.
Met Office pollen forecast predicts ‘very high’ pollen count for southern England from today
“Very high” pollen levels are forecast to move further north as the week continues with high levels across most of England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
A hay fever sufferer’s worst nightmare occurs if high pollen content is combined with humid weather, followed by sunshine, especially in a polluted area, as it can create a ‘pollen bomb’.
Hay fever sufferers have taken to X to write about their battles against the dreaded “pollen bomb”.
Social media user @cra46159 wrote: ‘We are apparently heading towards an imminent “polar explosion” and “pollen bomb”, so get your coats and scarves ready. I love our summers.’
Another social media user, @lynseyshev, wrote: “The sun finally comes out, triggers a pollen bomb and an asthma attack in me… you can’t have it all.”
@ugochio11 also wrote on X: ‘With all due respect, I need the pollen bomb to go away. You are not wanted here.
On Thursday this week, the Met Office said pollen levels will be “very high” across most of the UK.
The Met Office predicts there will continue to be “very high” pollen levels as the weekend progresses.
Meanwhile, many sufferers claim that the symptoms affected them at night, when pollen levels usually drop.
“I’ve been up twice during the night, tortured by hay fever,” wrote @chrisdaglorias.
The hayfever season in Britain is divided into three sections.
Tree pollen arrives first in late March, followed by grass pollen, which lasts from mid-May to July, and then weed pollen, which continues until September.
Rising temperatures, combined with the longer growth cycle of birch pollen, have combined to form the perfect storm.
The pollen count is calculated by the number of particles per cubic meter, explains the Meteorological Office.
Hay fever symptoms usually appear when the pollen count exceeds 50.
The Met Office forecast predicts a “very high” pollen count will spread across the UK as hay fever sufferers brace for a “pollen bomb”.
Tree pollen counts are highest between late March and mid-May, while grass and weed pollen counts are highest between mid-May and September.
For the pollen count to be considered “high,” grass pollen must have between 50 and 150 pollen grains per cubic meter, while birch pollen would need a reading between 81 and 200.
Although this is how a “high” reading is defined, the Met Office highlights that each person will have a different tolerance to different types and counts of pollen.
Hay fever affects almost 10 million people in England. This equates to almost one in four adults and one in 10 children, and the forecaster says the figure is rising.
Hay fever is an allergic reaction to pollen, a fine dust that comes from plants.
Symptoms include coughing and sneezing; runny or stuffy nose; red, watery, or itchy eyes; itchy throat, nose, mouth, or ears; headaches and tiredness, according to the NHS.
Histamine is the chemical that causes an allergic reaction.
Histamine is usually released when the body detects something harmful, such as an infection. It causes blood vessels to expand and the skin to swell to protect the body.
But in allergic people, the body mistakes harmless things, such as pollen, dust, or animal hair, as a threat and produces histamine.
This causes the well-known allergy symptoms: itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing and skin rashes.
Hay fever can make the summer months miserable.
But taking antihistamine pills stops flares by blocking the action of histamines.
Keeping windows closed, vacuuming regularly, and wearing wrap-around sunglasses can also help minimize your exposure to pollen.
Everything you need to know about hay fever
What exactly is hay fever?
Hay fever is an allergic reaction to pollen, a fine dust that comes from plants.
There is more pollen in the air in spring and summer, when plants are flowering.
The reaction usually occurs when pollen comes into contact with a person’s eyes, nose, mouth, or throat.
Symptoms include coughing and sneezing; runny or stuffy nose; red, watery, or itchy eyes; itchy throat, nose, mouth, or ears; headaches and fatigue.
The graphic explains how an allergic reaction, such as sneezing and coughing, to pollen occurs.
Is it getting worse every year?
The severity of hay fever depends on the weather.
Wet, rainy conditions wash away pollen, reducing the number of people suffering from symptoms and their severity.
However, dry weather forces pollen into the air, where it can easily enter your eyes and nose.
The pollen season also appears to be lengthening: a US study found that it extended by 30 days between 1990 and 2018.
When are the symptoms worst?
Hay fever symptoms tend to be worse around 11am and 6pm, and this is because the pollen is at nose level.
Pollen is on the ground at the beginning of the day and rises as the grass warms.
Throughout the day, pollen rises very high in the atmosphere.
As the temperature drops throughout the day, the pollen grains sink back to the ground and around 6pm they tend to be at nose level again.