Copernicus: CAMS monitors an active early spring in Europe with dust outbreaks, air pollution and pollen

Pollen forecasts from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service show
fast growing levels of birch pollen in parts of Europe. The large
concentration of the pollen, combined with poor air quality which has been
affecting these regions, can exacerbate symptoms for allergy sufferers. *

Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS)
forecasts since March 18th have been
showing growing concentrations of birch pollen in areas of France, the
Benelux countries, northern Italy, Switzerland, and southern Germany. The
pollen grains can be transported by the winds, potentially travelling long
distances from where it is emitted. Birch pollen affects many allergy
sufferers during spring and the fairly early and high levels that are
experienced now are linked to recent hot and dry conditions across Europe
that allowed the early seasonal release of the pollen from the trees.

Although concentrations of pollen and air pollution have very different
origins, the combination of high pollen levels with poor air quality can
make symptoms for persons suffering with allergies worse. Air quality is
recognised as being vital to human health and that high concentrations of
air pollutants, including particulate matter and gases like nitrogen
dioxide and ozone, can have a wide range of negative health impacts
affecting, for example, the respiratory system and can weaken immune
systems for those with pre-existing conditions like asthma. CAMS
continuously monitors global atmospheric composition and European regional
air quality. Since the start of the year this has included the recent
episodes of Saharan dust traveling north through the Iberian Peninsula and
across Europe, where it has contributed to degraded air quality in addition
to other pollution sources. Additionally, CAMS has been monitoring
increased air pollution over northern Europe during the last two weeks of
March, providing real-time data that can be used to monitor past
atmospheric data observations as well as forecasts.

In order for at risk persons to be able to make informed decisions
regarding their health, CAMS provides both pollen and air quality forecasts
that are updated daily in the CAMS Atmosphere Data Store, which also offers
easy-to-use APIs for machine-to-machine dissemination.

Along with the monitoring of pollens in Europe, CAMS data continuously
monitors air quality on European and global scales. All CAMS data are free
and open to access and are available in the CAMS Atmosphere Data Store. The
data can be used to provide critical information to users through daily
analyses and forecasts for monitoring air pollution events such as the
transport and smoke pollution emitted from wildfires worldwide, and other
recent events like the record high fire intensity observed in South America
between early January and early March 2022.

Vincent-Henri Peuch, Director of the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring
Service comments, “Changing climate conditions and variability between
years substantially affect the start and the extent of the season of
release of each type of pollen. Advanced modelling capabilities such as
these used by CAMS are required to adequately account for these effects and
also to take into account the transport of pollens over distances sometimes
reaching hundreds of kilometers downwind. CAMS recognises that it is
especially important for those affected and their doctors to have reliable
information and data on the pollen levels along with the air quality where
they live so that informed health-related decisions can be made.”

*More information on how CAMS is monitoring this year’s early pollen season
amidst low air quality readings can be found on the website: *
*https://atmosphere.copernicus.eu/cams-birch-pollen-forecasts-bad-news-allergy-sufferers-nf*

*https://ads.atmosphere.copernicus.eu/cdsapp#!/dataset/cams-europe-air-quality-forecasts?tab=form*

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