Tree pollen and hay fever
Post categories: weather
| 16:08 UK time, Wednesday, 26 May 2010
Has your car been covered in a yellow dust recently?
It's nothing to do with the volcano on Iceland, which has stopped erupting for the time being.
It is more likely to be tree pollen.
Ìý
I contacted the Woodland Trust today and was told that pollen from wind pollinated trees can travel very long distances and in very large volumes. There have been of birch pollen from northern Europe coming in vast yellow clouds across the English Channel and mainly reaching the South East of England, although it is entirely possible it could find its way further west into Wales.
This is the right time of year for tree pollen and sudden warm spells combined with wind can result in pollen clouds. There are no reports of pollen clouds of this nature over the weekend, but it is entirely possible.
Records show that birch trees in Cardiff started flowering in late April, so it may be a little late now to see very large amounts of local pollen, although it is possible.
The tree pollen season is now coming to an end but the grass pollen season has begun and will continue until late July or early August. Grass pollen affects 95% of people who suffer from hay fever, including myself. So although I am looking forward to summer, I am not so keen on the itchy eyes and the sneezes which I have had to put up with every year since I was a boy.
So give your car a wash and keep the tissues handy!
Derek
It's nothing to do with the volcano on Iceland, which has stopped erupting for the time being.
It is more likely to be tree pollen.
Ìý
I contacted the Woodland Trust today and was told that pollen from wind pollinated trees can travel very long distances and in very large volumes. There have been of birch pollen from northern Europe coming in vast yellow clouds across the English Channel and mainly reaching the South East of England, although it is entirely possible it could find its way further west into Wales.
This is the right time of year for tree pollen and sudden warm spells combined with wind can result in pollen clouds. There are no reports of pollen clouds of this nature over the weekend, but it is entirely possible.
Records show that birch trees in Cardiff started flowering in late April, so it may be a little late now to see very large amounts of local pollen, although it is possible.
The tree pollen season is now coming to an end but the grass pollen season has begun and will continue until late July or early August. Grass pollen affects 95% of people who suffer from hay fever, including myself. So although I am looking forward to summer, I am not so keen on the itchy eyes and the sneezes which I have had to put up with every year since I was a boy.
So give your car a wash and keep the tissues handy!
Derek
Comment number 1.
At 23rd Mar 2011, superman wrote:Hey Derek
Great article I did find some unwanted pollen on my car as i spent a whole sunday cleaning and clearingup. but yoy made a good point " Records show that birch trees in Cardiff started flowering in late April, so it may be a littlelate now to see very large amounts of local pollen, although it is possible." this should open peoples eyes. once again great article.
Darren J Miller
Operations officer
United kingdom, North
Complain about this comment (Comment number 1)