Pollen levels remain mixed across the UK over the next five days, with the highest counts most likely across southern parts of England.
Weed pollen is the main driver of the elevated risk in the south, while many northern and western areas continue to see elevated levels due to grass and weed pollen.
London and southeast England and southwest England both start the period with very high weed pollen, while several parts of the Midlands, Wales and eastern England are also forecast to remain high at times due to a combination of grass and weed pollen.
Thursday brings the highest pollen levels to the south, with very high weed pollen in London and southeast England and southwest England. High levels are also forecast across Yorkshire & Humber, northwest England, east Midlands, west Midlands, Wales and the east of England. Further north, pollen levels are generally low to moderate.
On Friday, very high levels continue in London and southeast England, while high levels persist across parts of central, eastern and western England, as well as Wales. Southwest England eases from very high to high, while many northern areas remain low or moderate.
Saturday keeps a similar pattern, with very high pollen still expected in London and southeast England. High levels continue across the east Midlands, west Midlands, Wales, east of England and southwest England, while Scotland and Northern Ireland are mostly low.
By Sunday, pollen levels ease more widely. The south and southeast remain high, but many central and western areas drop to moderate, with low levels across much of Scotland, Northern Ireland and parts of northern England.
Monday continues the lower trend for many areas, although London and southeast England and southwest England remain high. Elsewhere, levels are mostly low to moderate, offering some improvement after the higher pollen levels earlier in the period.
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.
