The pollen count: What pollen is in the air right now?

If you have hay fever, checking the pollen count every day can help you manage your symptoms. You can plan your activities around current pollen levels and take necessary precautions. Enter your city or address in the box at the top of the screen and you'll be able to see your local pollen count for today.

How checking the pollen count can help

Avoiding pollen is one of the big challenges for allergy sufferers. It’s invisible. Clouds of the pesky stuff can fill the air and the first you know about it is when the sneezing starts. Symptoms of hay fever may get worse during periods with a high pollen count.

During the pollen season, it can be helpful to know what’s in the air, especially in peak season. Detailed information about the pollen count, pollen forecast, weather forecasts and pollen calendar can be your early warning system. The pollen count can show you when and at which locations pollen levels are expected to be high.

Advanced pollen data at your service

We’ve partnered with Google for our pollen forecast on this page and in our allergy app. Using advanced technology and data analytics, Google provides location-based air quality and pollen information.^1,2,3

The Google Maps Platform collates many different sources of pollen data and standardises how it's measured and reported.¹ The technology covers more than 65 countries worldwide.^1,2

Our app: the pollen count today, a 3-day forecast and much more

The klarify app offers you 3-day location-based pollen forecasts and current pollen levels for specific tree, grass and weed pollen. It also has air quality information and weather data. And it’s all backed by Google’s data analytics.

You can check the pollen count daily or get alerts that show when pollen levels are changing in your area. You can also find out about pollen types

Air quality and the pollen count

Air pollution can interact with pollen, which is why people in cities tend to have more respiratory allergies than those in the country. It seems to increase the pollen count and make the grains more allergenic. And it can make hay fever symptoms worse. That’s why our app also includes air quality information.⁴

Track your hay fever to get more out of the pollen forecast

Pollen forecasts are more complicated than you may think. You see, pollen allergy is a very personal thing and the pollen count affects everyone differently. Use the allergy tracker in our app to log how your hay fever is making you feel each day. It's like an allergy diary so you'll be able to see exactly how changing pollen levels affect your symptoms. You'll also get personalised allergy insights.

Download the free klarify app and keep on top of your hay fever today, tomorrow and every day.

What is pollen allergy?

Pollen allergy is an allergic reaction to the tiny particles plants release as part of their reproductive cycle. The medical name for it is allergic rhinitis but you probably know it as hay fever.

When you've got hay fever your immune system overreacts to the pollen grains in the air, resulting in an allergic reaction. You could experience hay fever symptoms any time from spring through to autumn depending on the type of pollen you react to – and the pollen count, of course.

What pollen is causing hay fever now?

Are you regularly checking the pollen counts but don't know what pollen types to look out for? It can be a challenge to work out exactly which pollen is causing your symptoms. And if you have hay fever, you may be allergic to several different pollen types or just one. Allergy testing can help you and your doctor work that out.⁵

How you experience your hay fever depends on what your trigger is, where you live and the weather. Everyone has a personal pollen allergy season.⁵

What month is pollen at its highest?

It depends on the region and the climate, but pollen is typically released from early spring, through the summer months and into autumn.5 Climate change is affecting the pollen count. The timing of tree and grass pollen seasons depends on when spring temperatures break the winter. Global warming may be prolonging the pollen season of some plants and trees.⁵

As a general guide, this is when the pollen count is high for the different types of pollen:⁵

• Tree pollen – can start in the beginning of the year and usually peaks in late spring
• Grass pollen – early spring until late summer
• Weed pollen – early summer to autumn

Pollen: wind-borne allergy trouble

The plants usually causing hay fever are the ones that distribute pollen by wind rather than relying on bees and other insects. Many different types of pollen can cause pollen allergy.⁵

As part of their pollination process these plants release millions of grains a day. And these grains can travel hundreds of miles carried by the wind to different locations.³ It’s little wonder pollen counts tend to be higher when it’s windy.⁶

Weather and the pollen count

Rainfall can affect the pollen count as well as wind. For instance, rain helps grass grow well and a spell of dry weather afterwards can mean an abundance of grass pollen.⁷ A rainy day during pollen season can also clear the air and lower the pollen count. Temperature is important too and pollen counts usually rise towards the end of a sunny day.⁶

Weather can also influence the impact of pollen. Thunderstorms help release the allergens from the grains so they can travel further into the airways and trigger asthma.¹

Symptoms you might get when the pollen count is high

Pollen allergies are increasing, especially in urban areas.⁴ Typical symptoms include:⁵

• Stuffy nose
• Watery runny nose
• Post-nasal drip (the feeling of mucus moving down the back of your throat)
• Itchy nose, palate and throat
• Itchy, red or watery eyes
• Cough
• Tight chest or wheezing
• Sinus inflammation/pain

Closely monitoring the daily pollen count and latest allergy forecast can help you be proactive in managing your allergy health.

4 tips to try when the pollen forecast shows high pollen counts

Avoiding your trigger pollen is challenging but there are a few things you can try:

• Plan indoor activities if you can
• If you have allergy meds, it might be a good idea to take them before you head outside. But always follow the guidance of your doctor or pharmacist⁸
• If you do have to leave home on a day with high pollen counts, protect your eyes with wraparound sunglasses
• Wear a face mask or a discreet nasal filter to stop the tiny grains from invading and irritating your airways

It's almost impossible to avoid pollen getting into your home but it’s worth trying to keep the levels down.

5 tips to keep pollen out of your home too

Here are a few good habits to get into that can help you avoid getting hay fever symptoms indoors too:

• Keep windows and doors closed whenever possible, especially in the spring and summer
• Only air your rooms when the pollen count is low.
• Consider getting a good air filter
• Shower and change when you get home, and leave your clothes outside your bedroom
• Don't dry your washing outside. Use a tumble dryer or hang wet laundry up indoors instead

Check the pollen count today

Our pollen forecast shows you the pollen levels for the day and helps you predict when your allergy is likely to strike. Then you can better plan your activities. Check today's pollen count every day and be prepared before you go outside.

To get daily pollen levels, weather and air quality data for your location, plus 3-day forecasts, download our app today. klarify: the smart way to manage your allergy.

Last medically reviewed 12 September 2025