Pollen levels are set to remain elevated across large parts of the UK over the next five days, with grass and weed pollen continuing to affect many regions, although the grass season is coming towards its end in south and eastern areas.
The highest levels are expected across western and southern areas, while parts of northern Scotland are likely to experience lower pollen counts.
Northern Ireland begins the period with very high grass pollen levels on Thursday, alongside high weed pollen, before easing slightly through the weekend. Even so, pollen levels are expected to remain moderate to high across the five-day period.
Wales and southwest England are also expected to see challenging conditions for hay fever sufferers, with very high pollen levels forecast on Friday before remaining high through the rest of the period. This is now mainly due to weed pollen, although Moderate to High levels of grass pollen are still around, particularly over Wales and higher ground in southwest England.
Many parts of Scotland, northern England and the Midlands are expected to experience consistently high pollen levels. Areas including central Scotland, Tayside, Fife, Dumfries and Galloway are forecast to remain at high levels throughout the five-day outlook.
High pollen counts are also expected for much of the period across Yorkshire and Humber and northwest England due to both weed and grass pollen. The west Midlands, London and southeast England are now experiencing lower levels of grass pollen, but still have High pollen levels from weeds.
Conditions are expected to be more favourable across northern Scotland. Orkney and Shetland are forecast to maintain low pollen levels throughout the forecast period, while the Highlands, Eilean Siar and Grampian generally see low to moderate levels
The pollen forecast is updated each day here.
READ MORE: How does weather affect pollen and can pets get hay fever?
Is pollen worse this year?
The Met Office has no data to support the claim that pollen is ‘worse’ this year. Pollen levels can vary significantly depending on the timing of weather patterns and the types of pollen in season. Some years may feel more severe for individuals due to a combination of high pollen counts and exposure to multiple pollen types at once. The grass and weed seasons started earlier and stronger than we would usually see due to the warm weather experienced during the late May bank holiday weekend, so this may be impacting some people’s perception of the season.
Grass pollen is the main cause of hay fever at this time of year and typically peaks in June, with levels currently high or even very high across parts of the country. Weed pollen is also present at lower levels than grass.
Recent warm, dry conditions with light winds are ideal for pollen to be released and carried through the air, while a lack of rainfall means it isn’t being washed away, which can make symptoms feel particularly severe. Spells of rainfall with sunshine in the last few weeks have provided the ideal growing conditions for grass and weeds.
For most hay fever sufferers, the worst conditions are warm, dry and breezy days. These allow pollen to be released easily and spread efficiently through the atmosphere. Calm, dry days can also lead to high levels locally, as pollen accumulates near the source.
By contrast, cooler conditions, higher humidity and rainfall tend to reduce airborne pollen, at least temporarily.
What are the different types of pollen?
If you're a hay fever sufferer, it helps to understand which type of pollen affects you and when it's likely to be in the air. The UK pollen season typically follows the below pattern, but the seasons can start earlier or run later depending on where you live in the UK and what the weather's doing.
How do I access the Met Office Pollen forecast?
You can access our pollen forecast on the Met Office website or download our app to get pollen alerts sent straight to your phone.
You can also keep up to date with weather warnings, and find the latest weather forecast on our website, on YouTube, by following us on X and Facebook, as well as on our mobile app which is available for iPhone from the App store and for Android from the Google Play store.
