HAY fever season is well and truly upon us, with "very high" pollen counts recorded by the University of Worcester.

The University of Worcester supply and produce the pollen forecast for the UK in conjunction with the Met Office.

This week, the grass pollen count has been listed as very high risk during dry weather in most regions, apart from the far north in the UK. 

The weed pollen count is also currently listed as high, with nettle pollen prominent in all regions of the UK apart from Scotland.

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Fungal spore levels are moderate, with Leptosphaeria airborne temporarily after rainfall.

Cladosporium will increase to moderate risk in any warm weather, and Alternaria is increasing but currently still low.

Tree pollen count remains at a very low risk until lime tree pollen emerges in late June.

The University of Worcester website highlights five different pollens which can particularly affect the West Midlands region during June.

Oak pollen poses a high risk from mid-April to mid-June, and Grass pollen reaches peak period with a very high risk from early June to mid-July.

Nettle family pollen ranges from April to September, hitting its peak period with high risk in late May to late August.

Ash pollen and Plane pollen also range from mid-January to mid-June.

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The pollen grain is described as the structure used to transport male DNA to the female part of a flower.

Ledbury Reporter: University of Worcester.University of Worcester. (Image: University of Worcester)

All the forecasts on the University of Worcester website are based on information from the quality-controlled data produced by the National Pollen Monitoring Network.

This information is then combined with the data from weather forecasts, local vegetation, typography types and information about biological factors and the weather in the preseason period that influences the pollen count.

Symptoms of Hay Fever

According to the NHS, symptoms of hay fever 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 your temples and forehead
  • headache
  • earache
  • feeling tired
  • If you have asthma, you might also:
  • have a tight feeling in your chest
  • be short of breath
  • wheeze and cough