Simon Hunter
IF YOUR NOSE is already starting to twitch and tingle, then it’s likely that time of year when you start to wonder what the hayfever season will be like in Spain. Well, according to the forecast presented this week by the SEAIC allergology society, 2023 will be mild for allergy sufferers.
According to the data from the association, which uses a model based on historical data and weather forecasts, the spring will be mild for pollens on the Mediterranean coast but a little worse in areas such as Madrid, Castilla-La Mancha and Extremadura.
The SEAIC reported that coastal cities such as Barcelona, Alicante and Murcia will see pollen levels of between 1,000 and 1,200 grains per square meter, rising to 2,000 in inland urban centres such as Lleida and above 4,000 grains in areas south of the Madrid region.
The cold winter has had an effect this year on pollen levels, in particular that from cypresses and conifers, which are usually the first to shed their grains.
So far the levels of these pollens are lower than in 2022, although the SEAIC reported that they are now beginning to rise.
The SEAIC also shared advice for hayfever sufferers, such as not drying sheets on rooftops to avoid them capturing pollen, as well as showering after having been in areas where there are a lot of cypress trees.
The recent wave of flu in Spain will also have an effect on hayfever this year, according to the association. ‘With the mucous membranes already altered by respiratory infections, the typical symptoms of allergic processes could be even more virulent,’ they explained.
The SEAIC also recommended that hayfever sufferers undergo full testing to find out exactly which substances they are allergic to.
Read more:
- SNIFFLING? The things you are doing that may be making your hay fever worse in Spain
- Ditch the itch
- Great news for hay fever sufferers
