UK to take pleasure in wonderful 20C heatwave however Brits face pressing hay fever well being warning
Millions face sniffles as sunny skies hotter than 18C Madrid see trees unleash masses of pollen after washouts in recent weeks delayed its release
Temperatures are expected to reach 20C this week(Image: PA)
Britain’s 20C hottest day of the year is set to bring an early ‘pollen bomb’ and hay fever hell. Days after snow hit the North, millions face sniffles as sunny skies hotter than 18C Madrid see trees unleash masses of pollen after washouts in recent weeks delayed its release.
Hay fever sufferers are being caught out as the pollen surge comes before Met Office and BBC pollen forecasts for the year even begin.
It means some of Britain’s 18 million sufferers face eight months of sneezing misery ahead. Annie Bannister wrote on X: “Days after snow, I have rampant hay fever. It’s so early in the year.”
Prof Jonathan West of hay fever experts Rothamsted Research said: “We have a lot of pollen in the air because we had a long period of cool, wet weather, which slowed the development of flowers on trees.
“Sunny, warm weather is suddenly advancing trees’ flowering, so they release large amounts of pollen.”
Warm air from the continent is set to bring 20C weather to the west of the UK on Wednesday– 9C above average 11C highs – and beat the 19.2C hottest day of the year, on March 5 in Northolt, west London.
Temperatures of 18C are forecast in the South-East, with 17 C even in the North. Sunny spells and mid-teens highs continue until the weekend.
A Met Office forecaster said: “It’s proper spring-like weather, with warmer air and 20C on the cards with high pressure dominant.”
The Weather Outlook forecaster Brian Gaze said: “It will be warm, with around 20C expected, and more dry weather in coming days.”
