The Met Office has issued red pollen warnings for nine areas of Britain and Northern Ireland this week as temperatures are set to soar. These unlucky areas are due to see a very high pollen count, typically signifying a concentration of over 150 grains of grass pollen or more than 200 grains of birch pollen per cubic metre of air.
They are: South West England, London and South East England, East of England, East Midlands, West Midlands, North West England, Yorkshire and the Humber, Wales and Northern Ireland. For people in these areas, strong hay fever or asthma symptoms are highly likely, even for those with mild allergies.
Heatwave Expected
This comes as temperatures are set to rise towards the end of the week, with East Anglia potentially hitting 32C on Friday, according to the Met Office. Sunday could also bring highs of 32C in South and South East England, the weather agency added.
Its outlook for Friday to Sunday adds: "Rain affecting northern and some western parts on Friday. Hot sunshine further southeast. Patchy rain moving southeast on Saturday, with cooler air. Mostly dry on Sunday. Hot again in south."
Forecaster Comments
Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster, Gregory Wolverson, said: "This week’s weather reflects a contrast we often see in summer, with more unsettled conditions passing to the northwest of the UK while heat builds in the south and east. As we move towards the weekend, we’ll see conditions become more widely settled and temperatures rise all round. Many parts of southern and eastern England are likely to see temperatures high enough to meet heatwave thresholds."
"It’s important to note that while temperatures may be high, we might not all see the wall-to-wall sunshine and blue skies we experienced back in May because there is more cloud around. There is also a chance of thunderstorms developing in places, particularly later each day, which could bring heavy showers and localised impacts."
