Brits are basking in the hottest weather of the year, but hay fever cases are also spiking with some areas of the UK affected more than others.
Millions are expected to be impacted by the seasonal condition which is brought on by high pollen counts.
Over the weekend, the UK recorded its warmest day of 2023, with Plymouth reaching 24.4C on Sunday. But, today could even go a fraction higher up to 24C, the Met Office said.
While that's good news for sun lovers, hay fever also brings misery for many people across the country.
And with grass pollen season set to peak in the coming two months, they could be in for a tough time.
"The grass pollen season has well and truly started in England and Wales and peaks in the UK in June and July," said allergens expert Max Wiseberg.
"Grass pollen causes very unpleasant symptoms in the sufferer including sneezing, a runny nose, a stuffed up nose, itchy and watery or streaming eyes, nasal congestion and a general stuffed up feeling in the nose and throat."
This week pollen counts are expected to be high in most areas across England and Wales, while there's a medium pollen count in Yorkshire and eastern England. It will, though, be low in the northeast.
In Scotland and Northern Ireland, the pollen levels will remain low, said the Met Office.
Hay fever symptoms include itching around the face and mouth and a burning sensation in the throat. Headaches and wheezing can also develop while chronic hay fever patients may experience more severe or prolonged symptoms.
Mr Wiseberg said that antihistamines are routinely used to treat hay fever, but warned that they can cause drowsiness.
“Antihistamines are a common remedy for hay fever. When we get these allergies our body reacts to the allergen and produces too many histamines which trigger the unpleasant symptoms,” he said.
“Antihistamines do exactly what it says on the box; they anti the histamine. However, histamines also help keep us alert, attentive and awake. This is why antihistamines can cause drowsiness. There are different types of antihistamines so if one doesn’t work, try another – look for the active ingredient on the box.”
And the weather outlook for the rest of the week is even more hot weather as a high pressure continues to sit over the UK.
Met Office meteorologist Dan Stroud said: “We’ve got high pressure sending across at the moment, which is bringing dry and settled weather and some late spring, early summer sunshine.
“We’re expecting similar conditions for the rest of the week and into next weekend and probably beyond. So an extended spell of dry and settled weather.”
