The dreaded hay-fever season, which brings misery to millions, is normally still a few weeks away.
But fine weather with warm breezes has created ideal conditions for the release of sufficient tree pollen to have people reaching for handkerchiefs and antihistamine tablets already.
Tree pollen is the first type to appear, normally in late March, followed by grass pollen, which is most prevalent from May onwards, and weed pollen from June to September.
One expert, Dr Beverley Adams-Groom, senior palynologist and pollen forecaster at the University of Worcester, said the ‘mild, dry weather with breezes’ last week and through the weekend have provided ‘the best conditions for pollen release’.
Dr Adams-Groom also said this year’s pollen levels are set to be worse this year than last because of natural fluctuations.
She said: ‘Trees that produce allergic pollen in the UK tend to have alternating high and low years of severity – this year is a high year.’
Research by Worcester University has also found the birch tree pollen season is becoming more severe in general, while the oak and grass pollen seasons are starting earlier.
The trends are due to higher spring and summer temperatures, growth of towns and cities plus more woodland being planted, researchers found.
The warm dry weather has seen hay fever season, which usually begins in late March, arrive early year (file photo)
People are already reaching for antihistamine tablets as the fine weather provides perfect conditions for tree pollen (file photo)
Up to 25 per cent of Britain’s 13 million hay-fever sufferers are triggered by tree pollen, initially generated by hazel, yew, alder, elm and willow.
Poplar and ash pollen is due to follow by the end of the month, then plane and oak into April.
Hay fever caused by tree pollen, which in exceptional years can start as early as January, leads to symptoms such as itchy eyes, sore throats and runny noses.
The worst of the pollen so far has been in cities, particularly in the south, because they are warmer than surrounding countryside – where, especially further north, trees are only just starting to show signs of life after winter.
A Meteorological Office spokesman said pollen values so far this year ‘are likely to be low at this stage and restricted to only a few varieties of tree’.
It is launching its seasonal pollen forecasting service from later this month.
The UK Health Security Agency said research has confirmed that ‘longer and more intense pollen seasons are something that we are beginning to experience in the UK’ – and that people could begin to suffer hay-fever even earlier in years to come.
In a blog post last year, the UKHSA said: ‘Hay fever is already common during the spring and summer months, but our changing climate could see some symptoms starting earlier in the year for allergy sufferers across the UK.
‘Recent studies suggest that some types of pollen and other allergens could be released earlier in the year and for longer durations as temperatures rise. For some types of pollen, this may mean levels high enough to trigger hay fever as early in the year as January or February.’
Up to 25 per cent of Britain’s 13 million hay-fever sufferers are triggered by tree pollen (file photo)
The UK Health Security Agency said research has confirmed that ‘longer and more intense pollen seasons are something that we are beginning to experience in the UK’ (file photo)
Emma Rubach, head of health advice for Asthma and Lung UK, said: ‘It just tends to be that when you have an early start to spring and the plants come out, as they have over the last week, they start to release pollen. We have had this in February before.
‘If people have lung conditions, particularly asthma, then pollen can be a trigger for a flare-up, so it’s really important that if you have a lung condition, you are taking your antihistamines as prescribed and you have your blue inhaler in case you do have symptoms.’
Ms Rubach also said people in urban areas can suffer worse from pollen than in the countryside because of a problem called ‘grey pollution pollen’ where pollen ends up covered in pollution particles such as those released by vehicle emissions.
‘If you live in a city, you may ironically find your hay-fever is worse,’ she added.
