Hay fever sufferers beware: Peak pollen season kicks off in the Netherlands

There’s a challenging period ahead for Netherlands residents suffering from hay fever. Pollen season has truly kicked off, and the peak is expected sometime between today and July 1. And due to the weather so far this year, it will be a bad one, biologist Arnold van Vliet told RTL Nieuws.

The soaking wet spring was excellent for the grass. “The grass has benefited from the rain,” Van Vliet said. “You can see that the grass in, for example, the roadsides is in great condition. Some grasses are already in bloom.”

Rain could wash the pollen out of the air, providing some relief for hay fever sufferers. But the meteorological institute KNMI expects sunny days with little to no chance of rain for the coming week. So hay fever complaints will likely be high.

“People will get a lot of cold complaints,” general practitioner Felix van der Wissel told the broadcaster. “Think of thick mucous membranes, watery yeas, or sore throat. The immune system turns on.”

Hay fever sufferers can keep an eye on the LUMC website, which forecasts the pollen situation for the coming five days. Also, remember to take medicine. “Some medicines you have to take before you get sick,” biologist Van Vliet said, advising people to take the expected pollen peak into account.

According to the KNMI, the coming days will be partly cloudy but with ample room for sunshine. Maximums will be around 17 degrees for the rest of this week, but thermometers will climb into the 20s from Saturday. There is almost no chance of rain, and the wind will be weak to moderate from a northeasterly direction.