Hay fever sufferers are in for a miserable time today as pollen levels are set to soar.
The Met Office says the pollen count is still very high across parts of England and Wales, although lower across Scotland and northeast England.
Recent rain followed by warmer weather is behind the high pollen count, causing misery for millions.
And there is no respite in sight as conditions are set to get worse tomorrow and Thursday with all parts of England facing a high forecast through until the weekend.
Today a spokesman for the Met Office said: People should be aware that we are now in grass pollen season.
If you are a hay fever sufferer you are likely to start to feel real symptoms and they could be pretty strong this week because of the warm and sunny weather.
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Sufferers in the west of England, throughout Wales and the south east can expect their sneezing and itchy eyes to return as pollen levels hit very high today.
Across the midlands, levels are set to remain high while they are low in Scotland and medium in Northern Ireland.
Good morning, Patrick here. A cloudy start with hill fog and patchy drizzle in central and eastern areas. Cloud burning back to the coast in northern England and Scotland leaving a sunny afternoon. Skies staying rather cloudy across much of the south. https://t.co/j7ojlIej4g pic.twitter.com/DErdzBKiOM
— Met Office (@metoffice) June 5, 2018
According to statistics published by Allergy UK, between 10 and 30% of adults suffer from hay fever symptoms, as well as 40% of children.
It is estimated there are 10 million hayfever sufferers in England, but Scotland has lower hayfever rates because the pollen season is shorter and less intense.
Weather-wise today has seen a cloudy start but the Met Office is assuring us the sun will come out this afternoon.
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They are warning of high UV levels across most of England and Scotland, so dont forget to dig out the sunscreen.
A Met Office spokesman added this mornings cloud will begin to clear across the north by lunchtime and by the end of the afternoon in the south.
The south west will be hit by showers but temperatures will reach a high in west Wales and north west England of around 24C.
Hay fever is caused by an allergic reaction to pollen in the air, which comes mostly from grasses throughout June and July.
The recent rain to hit the UK has caused grass and trees to grow, fuelling a rise in pollen.
Symptoms include itchy eyes, a constant runny nose, headaches and irritating sneezes every summer.
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According to Asthma UK, 80% of people with asthma also have a pollen allergy, meaning the threat of a fatal attack is very real during the summer months.
Sonia Munde, nurse manager at Asthma UK, said anyone who has both asthma and hay fever should ensure they are taking antihistamines and nasal steroid sprays and ensure they take their preventer inhaler as prescribed to ward off an attack.
The NHS has recommended seven steps to help avoid hay fever.
These include placing some vaseline around your nose to trap pollen and avoid it entering the body.
Wrap-around sunglasses are also a good idea as is a shower and change of clothes if you have been outside to wash away the pollen.
Experts also say to stay inside, keep windows and doors closed and vacuum regularly.
Sadly, certain foods also exacerbate symptoms as they produce histamine, the chemical your body produces in response to any infection.
These include cheese, pickles, cured and smoked meat and fish and nuts.
MORE: What you can do to stop hay fever from ruining your summer
MORE: Of course skin conditions affect our mental health – so whats being done about it?
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