Hay fever havoc: Rising temperatures may be taking the spring out of your step

Dr Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick explains how the Shire's spring climate is changing. Plus, how does climate change impact Aussies suffering from hay fever?

SPRINGTIME temperatures are on the rise, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

Back in 1970, the coldest spring day in the Shire was typically around 15 degrees.

Now, it's more like 16 degrees - that's around one degree warmer than 50 years ago.

So what does this mean?

There are plenty of reasons to love spring - warmer weather, longer days and the blooming of wildflowers.

However, for many, spring marks the return of the dreaded hay fever season.

Seasonal allergies affect one in five Australians and are commonly triggered by grass pollen.

Unfortunately runny noses and itchy eyes aren't likely to go away any time soon.

Pollen season in Australia can last for many months, and exposure can be challenging to avoid.

Recent research suggests that climate change is causing the pollen season to change.

But, why is this happening?

Plants are sensitive to what's going on in the climate - reacting to changes in temperature and gases like carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

As a part of climate change, we're seeing increasing temperatures and levels of carbon dioxide not experienced in tens of millions of years.

Together, these factors boost levels of grass pollen in the air and lengthen the pollen season.

In fact, the North American pollen season is starting around 20 days earlier and pollen loads are 21 per cent higher than in 1990.

Speaking to US broadcaster NBC, biologist and climate scientist Bill Anderegg said the figures were a "crystal clear example that climate change is here and it's in every breath we take".

If you want to know how pollen levels are changing in your area, local weather stations and health authorities often provide updates on pollen count for hay fever sufferers.

Hear what others in your community have noticed:

Want more information on how your climate is changing? Check out the last article in this series.

Dr Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick is a climate scientist at the University of New South Wales.

This column is part of a collaboration between Monash University and News Corp to deliver hyperlocal weather and climate information.