Get ready, hay fever sufferers: cold, sore eyes and runny nose season is here.
For the United Kingdom, its first pollen warning of 2024 has been issued, weeks earlier than usual.
The misery usually begins at the end of March, when the weather begins to warm up and, as a result, plants begin to produce pollen.
But experts say recent spring weather has sparked a wave of plant growth, causing alder pollen to be released prematurely.
Dr Beverley Adams-Groom, lead pollen forecaster at the National Pollen and Aerobiology Research Unit, told MailOnline: ‘Alder tree pollen started earlier this year, due to very mild winter temperatures.
Forecasters have issued their first pollen warning of the year. Hayfever season in the UK normally begins at the end of March, when the weather begins to warm up and, as a result, plants begin to produce pollen.
The Met Office has not yet published its annual pollen count monitoring forecast, blaming it on being too early. Pictured is the Met Office forecast for June 22, 2023, in which the agency issued a warning about “very high” pollen levels.
‘It hasn’t been a record, but it started 12 days earlier than the average.
“In terms of severity, so far it has been a little above average, due to some very mild sunny days, suitable for pollen to disperse in quantities capable of triggering hay fever.”
However, he noted that as colder weather arrives this week, pollen levels will decrease again.
Weekly forecasts published by the University of Worcester also show that pollen produced this week by hazel, alder and elm trees poses a “generally moderate risk”.
Yew pollen, he added, “will cause irritation to some people in northern regions.”
Meanwhile, ITV meteorologist Chris Page confirmed the “soft air” had “given an early start to the pollen season”.
Hay fever is an allergic reaction to pollen, a fine dust that comes from plants such as trees and grass.
It affects millions of Britons and leaves them battling cold-like symptoms until the season ends in mid-September.
Symptoms are usually mild, but hay fever can sometimes be dangerous, especially for those who suffer from asthma and are at risk of a dangerous attack caused by their allergic reaction.
Patients are urged to take precautions, including taking regular medication, always carrying their inhaler with them and calling their GP or 111 if their symptoms worsen.
Tree pollen season usually lasts from late March to mid-May, but can vary slightly depending on the climate and where you live.
Trees that can cause problems include birch, alder, hazel and horse chestnut.
Max Wiseberg, creator of HayMax, an anti-allergy product, said: “Birch pollen, one of the worst for hay fever sufferers, will also be launched a couple of weeks early.”
Superdrug revealed today that it had seen a 20 per cent increase in sales of allergy products in February compared to the same period last year.
Europe has also seen an increase in pollen levels in recent days, with the French National Aerobiological Surveillance Network warning of an increase in hazel and alder pollen.
The hayfever season in Britain is divided into three sections.
After tree pollen arrives, grass typically lasts from mid-May to July, and weed pollen continues through September.
Hay fever symptoms tend to be worse around 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.; This is because the pollen is at the level of the nose.
Symptoms begin when immune cells mistakenly identify pollen proteins as a threat and produce antibodies that activate chemicals called histamines.
These cause the blood vessels to dilate, causing fluid to be released from the capillaries, causing a runny nose, sneezing and watery eyes.
But the NHS says there are things people can do to relieve their symptoms when pollen counts are high.
They include putting Vaseline around your nostrils to trap pollen, wearing wraparound sunglasses to prevent pollen from getting into your eyes, and showering and changing clothes after being outside to wash off pollen.
Around 10 million Britons are thought to suffer from seasonal colds.
But last year there was a rise in the number of people reporting hay fever symptoms, seemingly out of nowhere.
No one knows exactly what’s behind this trend, but some experts have suggested that lockdowns and global warming may have accelerated the trend.