Hay fever warning as temperatures soar to 21C and pollen levels spike

Global warming is expected to lengthen and worsen the hay fever season

UK temperatures have risen this week (AFP via Getty Images)

Hay fever sufferers have been warned their symptoms may get worse in the UK’s sunny weather, with forecasters saying this could reach up to 20C over the next few days.

Experts have said warmer temperatures could cause tree pollen levels to spike - which could lead to more sneezing, runny noses and itchiness among the Britons allergic to it.

The Met Office forecast “unseasonably warm” weather across much of the UK this week, with temperatures of at least 19C in some areas on Wednesday.

Warm sunny spells are expected throughout the rest of the week, with temperatures remaining above average in the mid to late teens.

Grahame Madge, a spokesman the Met Office, told The Independent those allergic to tree pollen may begin to suffer during the warmer weather this week.

He said: “It is way too early for pollen that we get later in the year. A lot of hay fever sufferers are more prone to their sysmptoms delveloping from grass pollen, for example.

“But anyone that is allergic to tree pollen, it is good conditions with a bit of breeze for the trees to be able to shed their pollen.”

The tree pollen season usually starts in late March, a month and a half earlier than grass pollen season. However, global warming is expected to push those even earlier.

Climate scientists have warned hay fever season is likely to start weeks earlier and end many days later due to global warming. Higher pollen levels will also worsen symptoms for sufferers.

Temperature plays an important part in the release of pollen, with trees responding best between 13C and 15C, according to the Met Office.

Large parts of the country are forcast to sit within this range in the daytime throughout the rest of the week.

On Wednesday, tree pollen levels are expected to be high across Coventry, Newcastle, Leicester, Nottingham, Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Edinburgh, Manchester and Liverpool. They are forecast to be moderate in London and Belfast.

Temperatures of up to 18C are forecast in some areas, including Manchester and London. Mr Madge said the UK could even reach 20C during this week, as it did on Tuesday.

As well as the sunshine, the UK has been warned the dry weather will contribute to high levels of air pollution - which has also been linked to worsened hay fever.

According to a new survey by Kleenex, nearly two thirds of hay fever sufferers believe poor air quality makes their symptoms worse, while just over half said the same for warmer temperatures.

Hay fever sufferers are advised to follow a number of tips, including keeping windows closed and wearing wraparound sunglasses, to cope with elevated pollen counts.