Weather map turns red with warnings issued for Wales as 'worrying' trend emerges
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Hayfever sufferers in Wales are having to brace for itchy eyes and runny noses in the coming days. Allied to a potentially record-breaking spell of warm weather are forecasts for 'very high' pollen levels.
Red warnings for pollen have been issued by the Met Office for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (April 29 to May 1), with amber 'high' alerts for Friday and Saturday (May 2-3).
The forecaster expects significant levels of airborne oak pollen in Wales. Some Plane pollen is also circulating, though these trees are mostly concentrated in southern England. Both are common cause of allergic reactions, the latter especially in urban areas. In sensitive individuals, they can exacerbate asthma.
With peak hayfever season fast approaching, searches for 'pollen count' have hit an average of 33,000-a-month. This is expected to rise significantly once grass pollen becomes established as this affects an estimated 95% of Britain's 10m-plus hayfever sufferers.
Recent research suggests hayfever seasons are getting longer in Britain, with climate change increasing the number of days each year when conditions are ripe for the allergy. Temperature plays an important role in pollen release, with trees shedding pollen between 13C-15C and grass between 18C-28C, according to the Met Office.
The theory is that warmer temperatures caused by climate change are leading to longer growing seasons for pollen-producing plants. The result is extended periods of allergy symptoms for sufferers. Join the North Wales Live Whatsapp community now
Analysis supports this, showing that Britain saw a steadily increasing number of pollen-producing days between 1994 and 2024, with southern areas worst affected. The research was carried out by Round Our Way, a not-for-profit climate change company in the UK.
(Image: Met Office)
The organisation found that, since 1994, Wales has seen the annual pollen season lengthen by average of 19 days, the same as in Scotland. In England and northern Ireland, the figure was 20 days.
Sofie Jenkinson, co-director of Round Our Way, said: 'Hayfever is becoming an almost year-round problem for sufferers in the UK. Longer hay fever seasons are just one of the health impacts Brits are facing as temperatures in the UK rise.
'As we all see around us, climate change is making Britain warmer and a lot wetter. We urgently need politicians to make sure we are better prepared for the worrying new weather we're facing and to tackle the pollution that is causing it.'
Some research has shown that air pollution may make pollen grains more potent and so more likely to trigger an allergic reaction. Increased carbon dioxide levels may also enhance pollen production, making hayfever more severe.
Pharmacist, Vikki Furneaux, 44, from York, believes the hayfever season is 'definitely longer and also more erratic'. She said: 'When I graduated, people took medication for around a two-month period but now they are less sure when the season is.
'Sufferers are also coming up against some of the cold and flu season and some of the symptoms are similar to hayfever, so it's more difficult to get on top of things. Some people are coming in with symptoms they didn't realise were hayfever.'
For the three days until temperatures peak on Thursday (May 1), pollen levels are also expected to be 'very high' in the south and middle of England, and 'high' in northern England. Only in northern Scotland is relief possible, with levels mostly rated as 'low' this week.
Counter-intuitively, a heatwave may help sufferers. The Met Office notes that pollen levels decrease if temperatures rise above 28C. If several warm days occur in a row, pollen supplies can run out altogether.
UK temperatures are indeed forecast to exceed 28C this week, though probably not in Wales. For a heatwave to be officially declared in Wales, temperatures will need to exceed 25C on three successive days, which is not impossible in parts of the country this week.
In the Border counties, the Met Office's three-day heatwave threshold is 26C. In London and surrounding counties, it's 28C.
It can be easy to under-estimate the misery pollen brings: while a cold typically lasts for one to two weeks, hayfever can last for weeks or even months depending on pollen counts and season. Keeping an eye on the Met Office website for daily updates symptoms can help keep a lid on symptoms.
Experts reckon the best time of day to get outdoors is around midday, as pollen counts are typically at their lowest. A good tip is to shower and change your clothes after being outdoors to rinse away trapped pollen. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox
By the same reasoning, washing is often best dried indoors on high-pollen days as grass pollen can easily get onto clothes while drying outside. Closing windows in your house and car is another way to minimise exposure to pollen.
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My anxiety had, temporarily, disappeared. 6 Alex describes his ADHD as like having '10 highly-caffeinated squirrels running about' in his brain Credit: Andrew Mason 6 He is the host of the podcast ADHD Chatter and author of the book Now It All Makes Sense Credit: Luke Hamlin For various reasons, such as rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) – an extreme emotional reaction I feel to real or perceived rejection - that accompanies my ADHD, I've always been terrified of confrontation. So much so, that my coping mechanism for effectively having my life's work snatched from me was not to confront those responsible, but rather to bury my head in the sand and drink myself to sleep every night. After my mum found 23 empty bottles of wine concealed under my bed, we finally arranged to speak to a lawyer, who told me: 'You will win this case over ownership of the company if you choose to fight it in court. You will, however, have to give evidence in the witness box.' My mind immediately flashed to the opposing lawyer saying: 'Alex, do you know the answer to this question?' And I panicked, remembering the little version of me sitting in the classroom all those years ago. I abruptly stood up and left the lawyer's office, bought a bottle of vodka, and woke up in hospital 12 hours later with a nurse looking over me, saying the sobering words you see above. Much of the next year was characterised by the court battle, which was an unbelievably stressful time. During the trial, I was cross-examined in the witness box for five days, during which I had to excuse myself several times to 'use the loo' – when in reality, I was doing breathing exercises to divert a panic attack. A further three months passed before my lawyer phoned me. He said: 'Alex, are you on your own?' 'Yes,' I said. There was a pause. 'You've won everything.' I broke down crying – one of the biggest legal, and mental health, or battles of my life, and I'd come through it. I won my 33 per cent stake in the company back. How to get help UNFORTUNATELY, a GP cannot formally diagnose ADHD but they can refer you for a specialist assessment. Be warned, the wait can be long. Data suggests there are at least 196,000 adults on waiting lists across the UK. And a BBC investigation found in many areas it would take at least eight years to clear the backlog. For an adult to be diagnosed with ADHD, the NHS says their symptoms should have a moderate effect on different areas of their life, such as underachieving at work or having difficulties in relationships, and the person has been displaying symptoms continuously for at least six months. There must also be evidence symptoms have been present since childhood - it's thought that the condition cannot develop for the first time in adults. After a diagnosis, treatment can include psychological therapies, psychotherapy, social skills training and medication. For many, a diagnosis can be a relief, but also unravel mixed emotions and feelings of 'being different'. ADHD UK has information on considering diagnostic pathways and can offer support. UNILAD went into administration in 2018, then was bought by the same company that had earlier bought LADBible for an undisclosed amount. Reports suggest the brand was valued at up to £40million. My celebrations included a trip to Las Vegas, a new tattoo (that I had no memory of getting in the first place) becoming infected, and another hospital visit. But in 2018, I managed to kick the alcohol habit for good. I attended my first Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting where I said the most important sentence I'd ever uttered. 'My name is Alex and I'm an alcoholic.' I've been sober ever since, which is among the best decisions I've ever made. I'm now 36, living in Brighton, and I can confidently say that quitting booze has enabled me to take back control of my ADHD, suffocate the negatives - and allow the positives to thrive. Alex Partridge is the founder of LADbible and UNILAD and the host of the ADHD Chatter podcast. His book Now It All Makes Sense: How An ADHD Diagnosis Brought Clarity To My Life (Sheldon Press, £16.99) is out now.
