Forecast

Sunny but cool as the pollen season draws to a close; fungal spores continue to cause problems!

The weather forecast for the coming week predicts cloudy but dry days with temperatures around 20 °C. The peak of the ragweed flowering season is now behind us, so exposure levels are mostly moderate. Most herbaceous allergenic plants, such as mugwort, grasses, stinging nettles and plantain, have already finished flowering and are now releasing only small amounts of pollen. As autumn begins, people who are sensitive to fungal spores should continue to expect moderate to high pollen levels.

As already mentioned, the ragweed pollen season is drawing to a close. However, as just a few pollen grains per cubic metre are sufficient to trigger symptoms, allergy-relevant amounts of pollen may still be present in the ambient air. The local ragweed pollen load in southern and eastern Styria is unlikely to be significantly increased by long-distance transport this week, as winds from the north and north-west are expected to prevail.

Annual mugwort and Katchatka mugwort have also passed their peak flowering period, but may still cause localised problems. Canadian goldenrod is also in flower. For people with allergies who are sensitised to mugwort or ragweed, Canadian goldenrod can trigger cross-reactions. Dense stands of these composite flowers should be avoided by sensitised individuals.

Pollen from cannabis plants, impatiens and ivy are also present in the pollen spectrum. However, they pose only a low allergenic risk.