Forecast

Thunderstorms over Styria, possible occurrence of thunderstorm asthma!

It was a sunny, hot and dry weekend. Monday will see widespread thunderstorms and rain in Styria. Thunderstorm asthma (thunderstorm asthma) can occur before thunderstorms. This increased burden for pollen allergy sufferers is caused by the bursting of pollen grains shortly before thunderstorms, which means that there is more allergen in the ambient air. Where there is heavy rainfall, pollen and allergens are then washed out of the air again. Tuesday and Wednesday should remain mostly dry, but isolated thunderstorms are still possible.

The amount of grass pollen in the surrounding air has decreased somewhat. In Styria, however, couch grass, grass, cocksfoot , tufted grass, riding grass, bluegrass and ryegrass are still in bloom. The rye has finished flowering and the wheat blossom is also coming to an end. However, sensitised people should continue to avoid the vicinity of cereal fields.

In meadows, flowering dock and plantain can intensify the stress. Stinging nettles are also in bloom and can cause exposure.

Sweet chestnut is in bloom. Although it is categorised as a low allergen, cross-reactions can often occur due to structural similarities between the main allergen and birch.

From Liezen to Graz, lime trees and privet have already reached the peak of their season. Although lime pollen is of little relevance from an allergological point of view, the scent of its flowers can cause irritation in sensitive people. Privet is important for people who are sensitised to olive trees and they should avoid direct contact with this plant.

Fewer and fewer flowering specimens of green alder can be found in the subalpine regions of the Styrian Alps. However, people who are sensitised to birch plants must continue to expect exposure when hiking in the mountains. The weather in the coming days will ensure that there will be hardly any transport of allergy-relevant amounts of pollen from this alder species.

Fungal spore concentrations in the ambient air may rise to a high level in the short term after precipitation. As soon as the sun shines again for a longer period of time, they fall back to moderate concentrations in the ambient air.

A brief outlook for late summer: From August onwards, intense exposure to ragweed pollen can be expected again. If you discover populations of this neophyte during outdoor activities, you can report them via the citizen science project "Ragweed Finder". The information collected will be verified by experts and forwarded to the relevant authorities of the provincial government. If you report findings now, appropriate steps can sometimes be taken before the plants flower and thus prevent the release of pollen. You can report findings either via the app (for Android and iOS) or on the website. There you will also find further information about ragweed and can view the reports from previous years.

Other types of pollen in the ambient air: umbellifers, goosefoot plants, tree of heaven, labiates, rhododendron and vine. These are of minor allergological significance.