Achoo! Pollen season begins in Switzerland

With warmer, drier weather hitting Switzerland this week, pollen season has officially begun. The Swiss Allergy Centre advises hayfever sufferers to start taking medication, particularly people who suffer from hazel and alder allergies.

Hazel and alder pollen increasing in Switzerland

A runny nose, sneezing and itchy eyes can likely mean one thing: pollen season is arriving in Switzerland.

When dry and warmer days occur, and the temperature is above 5 degrees celisus, pollen is more likely to be released. According to weather forecaster MeteoSwiss, “Hazelnut bushes and alder trees are in full bloom throughout Switzerland, releasing large amounts of pollen” and “cypress, yew and willow trees have also begun to flower”.

This week saw temperatures jump across the alpine nation as we got a taste of warmer, spring-like weather. On Tuesday, February 24, temperatures rose above 20 degrees celsius for the first time this year. 22,8 degrees was recorded in Ticino. These are “unusually mild temperatures for February,” according to 20 Minuten.

Warm weather forecasted this weekend

Suffering already? The Swiss Allergy Centre has advised people who have pollen allergies to start taking medication, such as antihistamines, reports Blick. Head to your local pharmacy or doctor if you need any advice.

February was particularly wet, meaning that “cold weather and rain are currently slowing down pollen release. As soon as it gets milder, the pollen count - especially on sunny afternoons - will increase rapidly,” says expert Roxana Guillod from the Swiss Allergy Centre.

The weather is expected to continue to be quite mild heading into the weekend. On Saturday, temperatures will range from 13 to 16 degrees, and while it could be cloudy, it will mostly stay dry. 

On Sunday, some showers are expected but “the day will transition to mostly sunny weather”, according to MeteoSwiss. Don’t forget to look to the skies for a rare planetary parade, peaking on the evening of March 1.