Though the "yellow dust" pollenating season is relatively short (about two weeks) its clouds tender to linger and have the most extreme effects.
And with other annual spring and summer pollens set to emerge, pharmacies and doctors' waiting rooms across the bay are getting busy.
"It started a few weeks back - I saw the yellow smudges in the puddles after rain and I thought 'here we go'," Napier pharmacist Andrew Spence said.
For the past fortnight he and staff had dealt with a stream of people every day.
"Coughing, sneezing - a lot of people are very susceptible to it and definitely feel it."
Mr Spence said though most were treated with over-the-counter antihistamines and nasal sprays the most severely affected were at risk of a sinus infection. "And that means off to the doctor."
He said like all pharmacies, he "stocked up" on anti-pollen medications in preparation for the spring rush.
One mountain biking enthusiast he had spoken to, who along with others had permission to cycle forest trails north of Napier, described one recent outing as "riding through a yellow mist".
Though there had been a clear increase in pharmacy visits for doctors the recent influenza virus outbreak had blurred the impact of pollen allergies as bronchial and respiratory cases had been up anyway.
"But we are preparing for it [allergies] because it's bound to happen," one Napier medical practice manager said.
NOTHING TO SNEEZE AT
* There are two types of allergic rhinitis (hay fever): seasonal (spring and summer) and perennial (all year round).
* About 40 per cent of Kiwis are affected by either.
* Pollen concentrations are typically lowest at roughly 6am increasing to a peak at 12 noon and decreasing through the afternoon and evening.
* For each type of tree, the flowering period is defined by specific condition and occurs
approximately the same time each year, lasting about two weeks.
* Tree pollen is less of an issue compared with grass pollen as the grass allergy season goes from August/September through to March.
- Facts: Allergy New Zealand