'Pollen bomb' warning as hay fever red alert issued by Met Office
7 April 2025, 18:33
A pollen bomb is set to hit allergy sufferers in six regions of the UK, The Met Office has warned.
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A red pollen alert has been issued for the South West and South East of England until at least Thursday.
Pollen is expected to be high In Wales, South East England, East and West Midlands.
Hay fever sufferers will be affected by ash and birch pollen.
"The pollen season has already started and people with a sensitivity to tree pollen may have noticed the early tree species in the air," Met Office pollen forecaster manager, Yolanda Clewlow, said.
"For those who are allergic to birch pollen, the season for this species is likely to be high, largely due to the conditions last spring and summer when pollen was forming on some trees.
"We're constantly monitoring what's in the atmosphere and what might be coming in terms of pollen in the air."
From Tuesday, pollen levels will drop in the South but will remain high in the West Midlands.
In East Anglia, pollen levels will peak on Monday and drop by the end of the week.
A 'pollen bomb' described a sudden increase in pollen levels in the air, often resulting to more sever hay fever symptoms for those with allergies.
According to NHS guidance, hay fever symptoms can include:
- Sneezing and coughing
- A runny or blocked nose
- Itchy, red or watery eyes
- Itchy throat, mouth, nose and ears
- Loss of smell
- Pain around the sides of your head and your forehead
- Headache
- Feeling tired
As spring arrives, Londoners can expect to enjoy a week of sunshine and clear skies with temperatures reaching 22 degrees.
It is set to be another sunny week in London with clear skies and warm temperatures predicted for the next six days.
The unbroken spell of sunshine will see high temperatures of 17 degrees for much of the week, before peaking at 22 degrees on Thursday April 11.
The Met Office predicts any early morning fog and low cloud will clear to leave more warm and sunny days.
With the warmer weather comes a warning of a very high pollen count. The Met Office has also issued a warning on social media to be careful in the sunshine due to the higher levels of UV.
With UV levels increasing from what we have been used to over winter, people are at risk of sunburn.
