Is that the faint sound of a sniffle in the distance? Was that an excessive number of sneezes? Do we detect... itchy eyes? Spring is almost upon us and while that means we’ll start enjoying brighter days and sunnier weather, it also means that the first signs of hay fever are beginning to show.
It’s estimated that around 13 million people in the UK suffer from hay fever, ie. a pollen allergy. Pollen is released into the air when the weather starts to gets sunny and warm (from around 13C to 28C). People’s hay fever can get particularly bad on windier days when pollen is blown around more. Rain and anything above 28 degrees can actually decrease pollen count.
So, with all that said, stock up on antihistamines, start shooting nasal spray and pack your eye drops – here’s when you can expect the worst of hay fever season to hit this year.
When does hay fever season start in the UK?
Overall, hay fever tends to affect people from March to September. However, there are actually three major different hay fever seasons in the UK, each relating to a different kind of pollen – tree pollen, grass pollen and weed pollen.
Tree pollen season happens first. It tends to begin in late March and last until mid-May. The season for grass pollen, which is the one that most people have an allergic reaction to, lasts from mid-May until July. It normally hits it peak in England and Wales in the first two weeks of June, with a second lower peak in the first fortnight of July.
Then, weed pollen season typically lasts from the end of June to September.
How bad will the pollen count be this year?
Experts warn that this tree pollen season could be particularly bad for hay fever sufferers. Dr Beverley Adams-Groom, senior palynologist and pollen forecaster at the University of Worcester, told the BBC: ‘Trees that produce allergenic pollen in the UK tend to have alternating high and low years of severity – this year is a high year.
‘Mild, dry weather with breezes provides the best conditions for pollen release and that is what is forecast for the next week or so.’
Where you live in the UK could also have an impact on the severity of your hay fever. According to the Met Office, there’s a later start and shorter season in the north of the UK, urban areas have lower pollen counts than the countryside and places inland are more affected than those around the coast.
Spring 2025
Don’t let your allergies stop you from getting out and about this spring. Organise a beach day with Time Out’s guide to the UK’s best hidden beaches, dare to dip with our list of the best wild swimming spots, book a weekend break to one of our favourite places to visit or check out all the exciting stuff happening in London this March.
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