Allergists have been issuing the same warning for weeks: pollen has arrived early in Madrid, it is skyrocketing in the middle of February, and the worst of the season is yet to come. The flowering of cypress trees (arizonic, cypress, thuja, and juniper) has caused medium and high levels almost daily since February 5 in different parts of the region, according to the Pollen Network of the Community of Madrid (Palinocam), which is coordinated by Public Health. In stations such as Alcalá de Henares, peaks of 2,659 grains per cubic meter have been reached, while in the capital, areas such as Arganzuela and Ciudad Universitaria have exceeded 1,400–1,700 grains, figures that experts describe as historic for this time of year.
Behind this spike is an explosive combination of rain and mild temperatures. The storms of recent weeks have recharged the soil with water and favored plant growth, and the subsequent temperature rebounds, with days reaching 20–25 °C, according to the Aemet, have acted as a trigger for massive pollination. The result is that many Madrid residents are noticing symptoms of “spring” allergies in the middle of winter: sneezing, congestion, itchy eyes, and watery eyes that last more than a week and, as allergists point out, are a clear sign that this is not just a simple cold.
Allergies have already begun and are not going away.
The bad news for allergy sufferers is that this winter peak is only the first round of a long season. Cupressaceae have a pollination period of about five months, which usually peaks in February, but they can continue to cause problems until the end of March, just when other major spring allergens in Madrid , such as plane trees and, above all, grasses, begin to become active. In other words, those who are already suffering in February still have another wave of symptoms ahead of them between April and June, when meadow grasses become the dominant type of pollen in the air. Specialists warn that the early pollen calendar is no longer a rarity, but a trend. In 2026, it is becoming clear that allergies are starting earlier and lasting longer, practically overlapping winter and spring.
Given this situation, the experts’ messages are clear. First, check the pollen reports every day (Palinocam, Aemet, or maps such as those on Eltiempo.es) to find out what type of pollen is dominant and at what levels, and adjust your outdoor plans on days when concentrations are high. Second, take extreme precautions during critical hours, early in the morning and late in the afternoon, when concentrations skyrocket, and on days with strong winds or storms with high electrical charges, avoiding intense outdoor sports or walking along large tree-lined avenues during those times. And third, don’t wait to “see what happens”: the recommendation from scientific societies is to see an allergist.