The Met Workplace has issued a warning about pollen ranges approaching the Easter weekend with London’s hay fever victims at “very excessive danger”.
The forecast may have these struggling allergic reactions reaching for the antihistamines if not the tissues, with pollen set to be “very excessive” three days this week.
For London and the south east, essentially the most excessive “very excessive” forecast has been given for Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Tuesday is listed as merely “excessive” for the realm whereas readings are persistently decrease all week within the northern components of England, Wales and Scotland.
For Holy Week, the degrees of excessive birch and ash pollen can be these most elevated, with different kinds of pollen extra outstanding at different occasions of the yr.
The Met Workplace’s readings for pollen for Holy Week 2025
Met Workplace
“Pollen is made up of tiny particles that are launched by crops and bushes as a part of their reproductive cycle,” the Met Workplace states.
It added: “It’s an especially nice powder and is unfold by bugs and the wind. Pollen could cause vital irritation and irritation in people who find themselves allergic to it. Pollen will be inhaled by people and animals.
“For these with an allergy, pollen triggers the antibody immunoglobulin E, which creates mucus and results in signs comparable to congestion and sneezing.”
Hay fever will be severe for some folks
Andrew Matthews / PA
What are the several types of pollen?
Pollen is a kind of powdery spore that’s launched by crops and bushes as a part of their reproductive cycle. These minuscule particles journey within the air and on bugs and will be inhaled by people.
Sadly, they will also be fairly irritating for people who find themselves allergic. Individuals will seemingly really feel the signs if the pollen depend is larger than 50 grains of pollen in a single cubic metre.
Alongside grass pollen, there’s tree pollen and weed pollen and these classes comprise roughly 30 forms of pollen that may set off hay fever.
The kind of pollen within the air is determined by the time of yr.
For instance, early summer time is usually recognized for grass pollen, whereas most tree pollens are launched earlier, round March to Might.
What’s the most typical sort of pollen?
The commonest sort of pollen is grass, which research have discovered greater than 90 per cent of hay fever victims are allergic to.
Round 25 per cent of individuals are additionally allergic to tree pollen – the second-highest class of pollen that triggers allergic reactions.
What sort of pollen is excessive within the UK?
We’re within the throes of grass pollen season, which the Met Workplace says ought to finish by mid-July. It is at its highest when the temperatures are between 18°C and 28°C and if it is a dry, breezy day.
The climate additionally impacts the pollen depend, so possibilities of rain within the subsequent few weeks might provide some respite for these affected by hay fever.
How do I do know which pollen I am allergic to?
Its finest to first familiarise your self with widespread hay fever signs (like a runny nostril and itchy eyes), to ensure its truly what you’re affected by.
Healthline says the easiest way to establish what pollen you’re allergic to is then by scheduling a gathering along with your physician.
Your GP might carry out a skin-prick take a look at to establish what sort of allergic reactions you could have, and run different exams to test if its hay fever or one thing else.
