Canberra's pollen season began with a blast on Saturday.
It's going to be a "very, very, very early, big pollen season," an Australian National University researcher says.
Saturday was an extreme tree pollen day, researchers recording the capital's first "big blast of cypress pine" for 2023.
Canberra's pollen season started early, ANU air quality expert Dr Ben Keaney said.
"There's a large number of cypress pines that are flowering plus it was a little bit windy today, that's why we're picking it up," he said.
"[It's] looking like it's gonna be long and at least in terms of the trees. It's looking like it's gonna be a relatively high [pollen season and]. It's gonna be pretty long."
ACT Health said the territory's tree pollen season usually runs between between September and October, while the grass pollen season runs from October to December.
Pollen allergy symptoms
- Runny, itchy, blocked nose
- Sneezing
- Irritable, itchy, watery and red eyes
- Itchy ears, throat and roof of the mouth
- Source: ACT Health
Residents of inner north and south suburbs, particularly Acton, Turner and O'Connor, are probably more likely to suffer from hay fever.
"Those might be the areas where a lot of people might be suffering disproportionally," Dr Keaney said.
That is because there are more older, European trees in those suburbs.
Canberrans are more likely to suffer from hay fever than other Australians because of the environment.
Nearly one in three Canberrans had hay fever, also known as allergic rhinitis, in 2017-18.
Fewer people have allergic reactions to trees than grass pollen, but the trees are still a struggle for some sufferers, Dr Keaney said.
In better news for Canberrans, Dr Keaney hopes grass pollen will be less of a problem this year than the last.
"Really big introduced street trees will be a problem early in the season but [hopefully] the grass season won't be as bad as last because we haven't had the same level of rains," he said.
If you are allergic to pollen, you should minimise your exposure when pollen count is high, ACT Health says.
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Visit the Canberra Pollen Count and Forecast Service for daily grass pollen forecast, made by ANU researchers.
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