Forecast

The first peak of ragweed pollution is coming to an end!

Relief in sight! The current high level of ragweed pollution is coming to an end for the time being this weekend. The east and south-east of Austria will still be slightly more affected until Sunday, while the rest of the country will feel the decline in pollution earlier and more clearly. Large amounts of pollen, which are carried by air currents from Hungary and Slovenia to Vienna and the south-eastern regions of Lower Austria, Burgenland and Styria as well as parts of Carinthia, will only be noticeable until Sunday. From Sunday, the main ragweed season in 2024 will be over.

The mugwort pollen season has now reached its second peak in the east and south-east of Austria, meaning that the season for late-flowering mugwort species such as Kamchatka mugwort, annual mugwort and wormwood mugwort will also slowly come to an end after the weekend. The second peak of stress occurred earlier this year than in previous years.

This year, the reed blossom in the east and south-east of Austria has caused below-average contamination, but the all-clear cannot yet be given. Late-flowering grasses such as reeds can cause contamination throughout September if the weather conditions are right.

The current weather conditions with high temperatures and occasional precipitation continue to favor the production of fungal spores.
Fungal spores can therefore still lead to high levels of contamination even at lower altitudes. To avoid this, it is advisable to move to higher altitudes.
Especially for people allergic to fungal spores (but not only for them), the use of air purifiers in the living area is recommended to at least keep the home low in allergens. Please only ventilate at times when a lower level of exposure is to be expected.

Information on your own behalf:
You can use the Ragweed Finder app or visit www.ragweedfinder.at to report ragweed populations in your area and find out about the spread of this neophyte. The reports are forwarded anonymously to the reporting offices of the state governments on a weekly basis.