Tough spring forecast for allergy sufferers
UAB researcher Jordina Belmonte, head of the Aerobiological Network of Catalonia (XAC) of ICTA-UAB and BABVE, together with Gaspar Dalmau, physician specialising in allergology and president of the Catalan Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (SCAIC), presented the forecast of allergenic pollen levels for this spring and the effects they will have on allergy sufferers.
Today the forecasts of the levels of allergenic pollens for this spring and the affectation for allergy sufferers were presented by the Aerobiological Network of Catalonia (Xarxa Aerobiològica de Catalunya), a network affiliated to the ICTA-UAB and the Department of Animal Biology, Plant Biology and Ecology of the UAB (BABVE) and led by researcher Jordina Belmonte. The slow recovery of the extreme drought of recent years and the mild temperatures will result in intense winter and spring pollination. Spring rains occasionally clean the atmosphere of pollens and spores, but cause grass pollens and fungal spores to increase their presence and size.
This year 2025 people allergic to winter pollens (mainly cypress, ash, hazel and parietaria) could be experiencing the usual symptoms of this season and even some sensitised people could have started to suffer allergy symptoms, since normal concentrations have been exceeded and there have been important peaks in levels.
Despite the somewhat higher than usual temperatures, most of the plants have released pollen at the time they usually do, without overtaking; only elms and willows have pollinated a few weeks later than usual. The pollens of the shade plane trees also have arrived a little later than usual, starting pollination in mid-March when sometimes they do it at the beginning of the month. The rains of the last few days have helped. Allergy sufferers need to take every precaution to minimise symptoms.
Weather models indicate that the months of March, April and May will be slightly warmer than usual and, regarding rainfall, March and May will be normal (i.e. with rain) and April will be rainier than normal.