When do “my” pollen fly? Where and how many? These questions are very important for hay fever patients, for example, if they want to take or travel anti-allergic drugs. Therefore, at the beginning of the pollen season, it is important to inform yourself when and where the pollen count is to be expected the most. This is helped by the pollen forecast: It informs hayfever patients about the current pollen count so that they can adapt their outdoor activities and the use of medication. Read all important information about pollen.
Pollen flow possible without flowering time
The pollen count can sometimes surprise people with allergies: While the earth is still frozen rock hard and all plants in the area are still in hibernation, already pollen of hazel and alder can irritate the mucous membranes in the nose and in the eyes. How is this possible? Pollen are long-haul flyers. They can travel up to 400 kilometers in the air before sinking to the ground. Thus, hay fever symptoms can occur even if the plant in question is not yet blooming in the home region of the allergic person. An important help for pollen allergy sufferers is therefore the Pollenflugkalender: It indicates when during the year with hay fever complaints is to be expected. The severity of exposure to allergenic pollen over the months is also indicated. Often only a few pollen are sufficient for an allergic reaction. The higher their concentration, the more severe the symptoms become. The strongest pollen shows a plant, of course, during its main flowering period.
Weather and climate change affect the pollen count
Due to the different weather patterns from year to year, the actual pollen count of a plant can vary by several weeks. Thus, in spring-like weather conditions, the hay fever season often begins in December or January with the first pollen of hazel and alder. At the latest in March, however, the pollen has fully deployed, and pollen allergy sufferers have to expect a stuffy nose, watery eyes and sneezing. Tiredness, sleep disorders and general malaise can also occur in hay fever. People who have been suffering from pollen allergy for a long time may also be allergic to asthma.
Generally the pollen season in Germany lasts from about January to September – still. Climate change is changing pollen count, experts say. The pollens of hazel, alder and birch are particularly affected: as a result of climate change, these occur earlier and tend to occur in higher concentrations in the air. At some point, the pollen count in Germany – in different strength and composition – could last throughout the year.