Expert gives forecast:

Intense pollen year: everything blooms extremely early

The birch blossom has already passed its peak.

(Bild: Vienna Press / Andreas TISCHLER)

Beautiful to look at, but a nuisance for allergy sufferers: the splendor of flowers on our trees. The extremely early flowering phases are characteristic of this much too warm spring. The head of the Austrian Pollen Information Service studied medicine in Salzburg and therefore has a special eye on the pollution in the city of Mozart, in the surrounding area and in the mountains.

Ash, hornbeam, oak, willow, maple and, most recently, birch trees with their countless elongated inflorescences: Trees are currently in full bloom. The unusually high temperatures in spring ensured an early start to the pollen season.

The particularly early flowering phases are striking this year.

Markus Berger, Leiter Polleninformationsdienst

"Ash and birch were particularly early this year," explains Markus Berger, ENT specialist at the Hietzing Clinic in Vienna and volunteer head of the pollen information service, which offers even more services throughout Austria, from symptom forecasts to pollen diaries (polleninformation.at).

Head of the pollen information service studied in Salzburg
"We have very different stages in the federal states," says Berger, who, as a graduate of Paracelsus Medical University, has a special eye on Salzburg. "Salzburg has wonderful surroundings. I really enjoyed that as a student too." However, on a scale of 1-4, the pollen count will be 4 in the next few days, which is very high. In future, new questions will influence the work of experts like him. "For example, it's about local warming or soil sealing," says the doctor, citing examples. Urbanization will bring new allergies, he believes.

The good news for birch allergy sufferers for the time being: the blossom has passed its peak and is slowly being replaced by grasses. Their full bloom is expected in Salzburg from April 25.