Forecast

There’s a thunderstorm on the way – mugwort and ragweed are kicking up dust!

There will be widespread thunderstorms across Styria on Thursday and Friday. Thunderstorms with increased lightning activity can cause pollen grains to burst open, releasing more allergens. These tiny particles can penetrate deep into the airways and lead to sudden spikes in allergy symptoms, known as ‘thunderstorm asthma’. The rain will slightly reduce pollen concentrations. On Saturday and Sunday, the weather will be more pleasant, though it will remain cloudy. During dry spells, pollen from mugwort, ragweed, stinging nettle, plantain, foxtail and goosefoot will become more prevalent again. Grasses, on the other hand, are now causing only a low level of exposure. The dry conditions have meant that a second flowering of the grasses is highly unlikely. Due to the rainfall, fungal spore concentrations will fluctuate between moderate and high levels.

In Eastern and Southern Styria, mugwort and ragweed are currently in flower. The pollen from these composite flowers is highly allergenic, as just six to ten pollen grains per cubic metre of inhaled air can trigger symptoms. Both plants form dense stands on railway embankments, rubble sites, roadsides and along streams and rivers. Ragweed can also form dense stands in soya, pumpkin and sunflower fields. When winds blow from the east, this can lead to increased long-distance transport of ragweed pollen, intensifying local exposure levels. 

If you spot ragweed populations whilst out and about, you are welcome to report them via the ‘Ragweed Finder’ citizen science platform. Reports can be submitted either via the website ragweedfinder.at or via the app (available for Android and iOS). The reports are checked by experts from the “Ragweed Finder” team, plotted on the ragweed map and forwarded at regular intervals to the relevant authorities in the federal states. These authorities can then use the reports to take further action.

Fungal spores are released in greater quantities, particularly after rainfall. In the coming days, people who are sensitive to fungal spores should therefore expect moderate to high levels of exposure. Exposure is lower at higher altitudes.

In addition to the pollen types already mentioned, pollen from bee balm, hops, hemp and juniper is currently also present in the pollen spectrum. However, these pose only a low allergenic risk.