Forecast

Mugwort and ragweed are causing problems!

The second half of the week will start off sunny across the whole country, before clouds roll in on Thursday afternoon and may bring rainfall across the whole country, starting in the mountainous regions. As Friday progresses, the showers will then clear off and the sun will increasingly break through. It will become warm and summery again, and from the weekend onwards, high levels of mugwort and ragweed pollen as well as fungal spores are expected once more.

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In the easternmost parts of the country, the first peak of the mugwort pollen season has already passed; this year it occurred slightly earlier than the long-term average. Concentrations there have dropped to moderate levels across the board; only in the immediate vicinity of large stands may levels still be higher. In the rest of Austria, we are still in the midst of the first main peak.

Local ragweed populations in Austria are also beginning to release pollen. This invasive neophyte is found in this country primarily in Burgenland, Lower Austria and parts of Styria and Carinthia, as well as in the Inn Valley, where it can cause significant allergic symptoms. It is, in principle, possible for ragweed pollen levels to increase due to long-distance transport from southern or south-eastern Europe; however, as the wind is not expected to blow from the relevant direction for the most part over the coming days, this is not currently anticipated.

If you spot ragweed populations whilst out and about, you can report the plant via the Ragweed Finder app or at ragweedfinder.at, thereby informing the relevant authorities in the federal states about the presence of this invasive plant.

Grass pollen now plays only a minor role in Austria. An increase in pollen levels is generally only to be expected in towns due to the flowering of ornamental grasses, and near large reed beds, such as those around Lake Neusiedl.

However, pollen from foxtail grasses and plantain can still be found in the air and may further exacerbate symptoms for allergy sufferers.

In addition to the pollen types already mentioned, pollen from stinging nettles, hemp, carnations and cypresses is also currently present in the pollen spectrum. However, these pose only a very low allergenic risk.