Every springtime, we keep an eye on the pollen and spore levels around the country, as it’s the season where allergies like hayfever are at their worst.

Given the fact that this spring has been up and down in parts of the country, we wanted to know how New Zealanders were coping – was this season better, worse, or average when compared to most other years?

The results of our latest poll are mixed – with around a third saying they aren’t affected at all – though that’s about normal for those who don’t suffer seasonal allergies.

of those who were affected, 28% said this year has been “high” when compared to normal – perhaps a result of the dominating westerly airflows which have prevailed so far in the last 2 months.

24% said moderate, and just 15% are noticing conditions are better than normal – a clear indication that this year is a bad one for allergy sufferers!

– Drew Chappell, WeatherWatch.co.nz