Balfour pollen forecast - today, tomorrow and the week ahead
Pollen Today
Today (20 September) pollen in Balfour is moderate; cypress, eucalyptus, mugwort, and mulberry are moderate; plane is low.
Pollen Tomorrow
Tomorrow (21 September 2026) levels are similar to today.
7-Day Trend
Over the next week cypress, eucalyptus, mugwort, mulberry, and plane will decrease; grass, oak, and nettle will remain stable.
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Pollen Risk
Today - 20 September
| Pollen species | Level | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Alder (Alnus) | None | 0/100 |
| Birch (Betula) | None | 0/100 |
| Hazel (Corylus) | None | 0/100 |
| Cypress (Cupressaceae) | Moderate | 36/100 |
| Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) | Moderate | 28/100 |
| Grass (Poaceae) | None | 0/100 |
| Oak (Quercus) | None | 0/100 |
| Willow (Salicaceae) | None | 0/100 |
| Mugwort (Artemisia) | Moderate | 44/100 |
| Mulberry (Morus) | Moderate | 31/100 |
| Plane (Platanus) | Low | 17/100 |
| Nettle (Urtica) | None | 0/100 |
Tomorrow - 21 September
| Pollen species | Level | Value | 7-Day Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alder (Alnus) | None | 0/100 | — |
| Birch (Betula) | None | 0/100 | — |
| Hazel (Corylus) | None | 0/100 | — |
| Cypress (Cupressaceae) | Moderate | 38/100 | |
| Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) | Moderate | 29/100 | |
| Grass (Poaceae) | None | 0/100 | |
| Oak (Quercus) | None | 0/100 | |
| Willow (Salicaceae) | None | 0/100 | — |
| Mugwort (Artemisia) | Moderate | 44/100 | |
| Mulberry (Morus) | Moderate | 32/100 | |
| Plane (Platanus) | Low | 19/100 | |
| Nettle (Urtica) | None | 0/100 |
Local Environmental Conditions
Balfour lies roughly 270 km west-southwest of Nelspruit. Grassland, acacia, and eucalyptus make up most of the vegetation at Balfour, with denser tree cover in older residential streets giving way to open country beyond town. The district's coal mining and power station operations adds to the mix, and grass pollen becomes the dominant source once summer rains set in, consistent with the wider Highveld plateau environment.
Balfour sees its first tree pollen from acacia and eucalyptus in August, with Highveld grass following as the dominant source through October and November. The dry winter keeps things quiet until then, and the district's coal mining and power station operations means exposure varies between greener pockets and more built-up ground, a pattern typical of the wider Highveld region.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Pollen in Mpumalanga
Is pollen high in Balfour right now?
On 20 September 2026, overall pollen levels in Balfour are moderate. Cypress is the main contributor to airborne pollen, while morus, myrtle, artemisia, and platanus remain at lower levels
Will pollen levels change in Balfour tomorrow?
On 21 September 2026, pollen conditions in Balfour will be similar to today, with cypress at moderate levels, morus at moderate levels, myrtle at moderate levels, platanus at low levels, artemisia at moderate levels
Is pollen expected to decrease in Balfour this week?
According to the five-day outlook, cypress, morus, myrtle, platanus, and artemisia pollen levels are expected to gradually decrease, suggesting improving conditions later in the week.
Which pollen types are currently active in Balfour?
On 20 September 2026, Cypress is the dominant pollen source in Balfour. morus, myrtle, artemisia, and platanus are also present but at lower levels. grass, oak, and urtica are not currently active.
When is pollen season in Balfour?
How often is the Balfour pollen forecast updated?
The Balfour pollen forecast is updated four times daily. See the timestamp below for the most recent update.
Does pollen in Balfour come from nearby or far away?
Studies show that most pollen exposure (often 70–90%) comes from nearby sources, such as local trees and vegetation. A good pollen forecast therefore depends on accurately representing local vegetation. Pollen can travel long distances, but this usually matters only early in the season or during specific wind events.
Are pollen levels in Balfour based on measurements or forecasts?
Pollen data is often misunderstood. Most "pollen levels" are not real-time measurements, but forecasts.
Direct pollen measurements are typically delayed by 1-2 days because they require manual analysis. To show current conditions in Balfour, modern forecasts combine recent measurements, weather data, and information about local vegetation.
This allows us to estimate pollen levels for today and the coming days, not just report the past.
Airmine’s atmospheric monitoring platform was developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) team, using satellite and Earth observation technologies to improve emissions monitoring.
Understanding the Scale
The 0–100 scores represent risk levels, not direct measurements of pollen or air pollutant concentrations. Higher scores indicate higher risk. Pollen and air quality use different thresholds.
Pollen
| None | 0 | No or negligible risk of exposure. Pollen/mold exposure is expected to be minimal. |
| Low | 0-25 | Low risk of exposure. Small amounts of pollen or mold spores may be present. |
| Moderate | 25-50 | Moderate risk of exposure. Pollen/mold exposure is expected to be noticeable. |
| High | 50-75 | High risk of exposure. Elevated pollen/mold exposure is expected. |
| Very High | 75-100 | Very high risk of exposure. Pollen/mold exposure is expected to be at or near its highest levels. |
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Get 15-day pollen forecasts with morning, afternoon and evening detail, plus 5-day air quality forecasts. Explore interactive pollen risk maps, estimated pollen season start, route profiles and a symptoms diary.
Features and forecast availability vary by region. Currently covering Europe, the contiguous US, southern Canada, South Africa, Australia, Indonesia (Java & Bali), Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and the Buenos Aires area.
Developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA) Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS).
