THE sun is shining and Brits are basking in high temperatures this week, but for many enjoying time outside also means battling with increased levels of pollen.
Pollen counts are very high in some areas of the UK this week – here’s today’s pollen count and some advice on how you can avoid dreaded symptoms.
What’s the pollen count today in the UK?
Here’s the pollen forecast for different regions of the UK as of Thursday 10 June, 2021.
According to the Met office, levels are highest today in the East Midlands and the East of England, and the Met has red zoned them as “very high”.
Tomorrow these high levels are set to spread further afield into Yorkshire and The Humber, the West Midlands, the South West and London and these very high levels are set to continue until Monday next week.
Today levels are also “high” in Yorkshire and The Humber, West Midlands, the South West and London.
The pollen count is at a “medium” level in Wales, the North West, the North East and Northern Ireland.
They remain at low levels across Scotland.
We are currently in grass pollen season and pollen consultant, Dr Beverley Adams-Groom on behalf of Clarityn said that the worst regions for grass pollen are the West Midlands, North-west England and South-central England.
Dr Beverley said: “However, all areas are affected by grass pollen to some extent. Scotland is the mildest region but still receives an average of 11 high days per season.
“Some hay fever sufferers in London can be badly affected by the plane tree pollen season, which has an average of 12 high days.
“Plane trees are planted on many of London’s streets and in parks and gardens.”
What can hay fever sufferers do?
To try and combat the effects of hay fever, you can try a number of things:
- Put Vaseline around your nostrils to trap pollen
- Wear wraparound sunglasses to stop pollen getting into your eyes
- Shower and change your clothes after you’ve been outside to wash the pollen off
- Stay indoors whenever possible
- Keep windows and doors shut as much as possible
- Vacuum regularly and dust with a damp cloth
- Buy a pollen filter for the air vents in your car and a vacuum cleaner with a special HEPA filter
In times of high pollen, do not cut grass or walk in grassy areas, do not keep fresh flowers in your home, smoke or dry clothes outside as they can catch pollen.
How can I track the pollen count?
There are two ways which might be useful for hay fever sufferers to track periods of high pollen.
The Met Office issues a five day pollen forecast which monitors the pollen count across the UK which you can find here.
Tech-savvy hay fever sufferers can also download the Hay Fever Relief app which can alert you to the daily pollen count updates as well as give you an expert treatment plan and allow you to track your symptoms.
What time of the day has the highest pollen count?
A pollen count is generated by measuring the number of pollen grains in a given volume of air, using a pollen trap.
A count of 50 pollen grains or less is considered low, and a count of 1,000 pollen grains or more is considered high.
Pollen counts tend to be higher in early morning and late evening, although they can sometimes be high all day long.
If the grass is damp, the pollen peak will be later in the morning because the water evaporates before the pollen is released.
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Pollen rises in the air during the day and then descends at night, as the air cools.
In rural areas, the evening peak tends to occur between 6pm and 9pm but in the city, where the air stays warmer for longer, the pollen descends later and levels tend to peak between 9pm and midnight or even later, which is why you may wake up sneezing in the night.
Sunny days favour higher pollen counts and rain tends to wash the pollen away, whereas on a cloudy day, pollen builds up only to be released on the next sunny day.
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