The sunny spells after weeks of rain are a double-edged sword to those with hay fever, as pollen counts have jolted upwards alongside rising temperatures.
That familiar itchiness in the eyes and incorrigible sneezing may have elbowed its way back into daily life for sufferers as the sudden temperature change has spurred tree pollen production back into action after sitting dormant during the winter.
Tree pollen affects a quarter of those with hay fever and alder and yew pollen tends to disperse around this time of year, with alder pollen jumping up to 'very high' levels in the past 10 days, the Met Office said.
Plant pathologist and aerobiologist Prof Jonathan West told The Telegraph: 'The warm weather will have suddenly intensified what is being released from trees by advancing flowers that would normally have taken longer to develop.
'In addition to that, the conditions of dry, sunny weather with a reasonable breeze are also ideal for pollen release, so I expect there would have been quite a high peak of those tree pollens nationally today.'
Birch pollen is similar to that of the alder tree, so those who are allergic to birch pollen may also be affected, senior lecturer in geography and environment at the University of Worcester Dr Matt Smith said.
The deluge of rain followed by sudden sun has encouraged alder trees to flower which could make symptoms more severe throughout the whole of the hay fever season, Dr Smith said. the grass pollen - which affects most sufferers - starts in mid-May to July and could be stronger due to the mild weather.
But it's not all doom and gloom, quite literally. An explosion of Spring colour could be upon the UK in the next two weeks as warmer conditions awaken sleeping flowers to rapidly start blooming.
The sudden change in temperature after weeks of rains has meant trees have ramped up pollen productions, spelling misery for hay fever sufferers
Late winter flowers like snowdrops are being quickly joined by early daffodils, camellias, cyclamen and hyacinths in the mild conditions the RHS said
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has noted that late-winter flowering bulbs and shrubs including crocus, snowdrops, witch-hazels and hellebores already out in RHS gardens are being quickly joined by early daffodils, camellias, cyclamen and hyacinths in the mild conditions.
Weather forecasts in the south look to be stable in the double figures into next week, with highs of 15C next Monday and lows of 8C that night- the warmest of the next seven days.
In the south west, the trend continues, also with double digits for the whole week with highs of 14C and lows of 7C at night on Monday.
Even as North as Scotland, there are fairly regular breaches of double digits in temperature highs, again with next Monday proving to be the warmest day with 12C highs and 5C lows at night.
Wales also stays solidly in the double digits all of the next week and Monday will also be the best of them here too, with highs of 14C and lows of 7C.
It was the hottest day of the year on Wednesday, with a promising 18.6C recorded at London's Kew Gardens in Richmond, West London - this was warmer than Athens and Barcelona and about eight degrees above average.
The record temperature in February was 21C, recorded in 2019.
Tim Upson, RHS director of gardens and horticulture, said spring plants at the charity's sites were coming into flower very quickly, and there was likely to be a 'welcome explosion of colour and new life over the next two weeks'.
He added:'At RHS Garden Wisley in particular,the lack of a prolonged cold spell in the South which would normally stall growth means that we are not even out of February yet and the hoop daffodils on the alpine meadow are already starting to emerge.
'The camellias are coming through,and you can almost see the magnolia buds unfurling before your eyes.'
But for those allergic to these blooming plants, Allergy UK recommends hay fever sufferers limit outdoor activities on high pollen days, keeping windows shut, avoiding hanging washing outside and even wearing a mask.
Scientists believe climate change has prompted some species like hazelnut trees to bloom earlier than usual and make pollen counts rise faster.
Rainfall has been above the 30-year average this year in the UK, which has only seen 70 per cent of the average sunshine. Despite the recent rays lifting spirits and opening flowers, this extra rain has meant there are still 42 flood warnings and 85 flood alerts active across the country as of Wednesday.
Most of these are centred in the south of England, in Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, and Somerset.
Hay fever affects one in five people in the UK and comes in several types according to different types of pollen. It's important to know which type someone has before treatment.
Antihistamines can work as well as dietary changes and natural remedies.