Forecast

Ragweed, mugwort and reeds are in bloom!

In the second half of the week, the weather across much of Austria will remain cloudy but dry. With these ideal conditions for the spread of pollen and fungal spores, allergy sufferers should brace themselves for persistently high levels of pollen. On Saturday, there will be widespread rain, providing some short-term relief for those with pollen allergies. On Sunday, the weather will become sunnier again and pollen counts will start to rise once more. The main culprits behind the current high pollen levels are the two composite flowers, mugwort and ragweed, as well as the persistently high fungal spore levels.

In eastern Austria, ragweed is already causing significant levels of pollen. As local populations are now in bloom, high to very high concentrations may occur, particularly in the early morning. In the west of the country, mugwort flowering is drawing to a close, with low pollen concentrations. In eastern Austria, annual mugwort and Katschatka mugwort are now beginning to flower. Both will reach their peak flowering period in September. As ragweed and mugwort belong to the Asteraceae family, cross-reactions are possible. People with sensitivities should avoid dense stands of these plants.

If you come across 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.

In all nine federal states, grass pollen counts now play only a minor role. 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, stinging nettles and plantains is still present in the air and may further exacerbate symptoms for allergy sufferers.

Fungal spore levels remain high.

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