Cape Town Pollen Forecast - Today, Tomorrow and the Week Ahead
Pollen Today
Today (10 October) pollen in Cape Town is moderate; cypress, mugwort, and nettle are moderate; eucalyptus, mulberry, mold (alternaria), and mold (cladosporium) are low.
Pollen Tomorrow
Tomorrow (11 October 2026) eucalyptus remains low, mulberry remains low, nettle remains moderate, mold (alternaria) remains low, mold (cladosporium) remains low, cypress declining, mugwort declining.
7-Day Trend
Over the next week cypress, eucalyptus, grass, mugwort, mulberry, and nettle will increase; mold (alternaria) and mold (cladosporium) will decrease; oak and plane will remain stable.
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Pollen Risk
Today - 10 October
| Pollen species | Level | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Alder (Alnus) | None | 0/100 |
| Birch (Betula) | None | 0/100 |
| Hazel (Corylus) | None | 0/100 |
| Cypress (Cupressaceae) | Moderate | 27/100 |
| Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) | Low | 20/100 |
| Grass (Poaceae) | None | 0/100 |
| Oak (Quercus) | None | 0/100 |
| Willow (Salicaceae) | None | 0/100 |
| Mugwort (Artemisia) | Moderate | 30/100 |
| Mulberry (Morus) | Low | 21/100 |
| Plane (Platanus) | None | 0/100 |
| Nettle (Urtica) | Moderate | 50/100 |
| Mold (Alternaria) | Low | 9/100 |
| Mold (Cladosporium) | Low | 19/100 |
Tomorrow - 11 October
| Pollen species | Level | Value | 7-Day Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alder (Alnus) | None | 0/100 | — |
| Birch (Betula) | None | 0/100 | — |
| Hazel (Corylus) | None | 0/100 | — |
| Cypress (Cupressaceae) | Low | 21/100 | |
| Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) | Low | 14/100 | |
| Grass (Poaceae) | None | 0/100 | |
| Oak (Quercus) | None | 0/100 | |
| Willow (Salicaceae) | None | 0/100 | — |
| Mugwort (Artemisia) | Low | 23/100 | |
| Mulberry (Morus) | Low | 15/100 | |
| Plane (Platanus) | None | 0/100 | |
| Nettle (Urtica) | Moderate | 48/100 | |
| Mold (Alternaria) | Low | 13/100 | |
| Mold (Cladosporium) | Low | 24/100 |
Local Environmental Conditions
The heart of Cape Town is densely built up. Close to the Liesbeeck River, riverside trees such as willow, poplar and plane tree add to local tree pollen. Oak, maple and olive are among the allergenic trees nearby. Grasses also feature strongly, alongside plantain and pigweed among the weeds. Oak is unusually common here compared with most other locations, making it a particularly important local pollen source.
Oak, maple and olive lead the season in mid-spring, as temperatures climb to around 15°C, and tree pollen reaches its peak. Grasses take over in early summer, with temperatures around 20°C, and their pollen lingers into early fall. Plantain and pigweed flower through much of the warmer half of the year. The oak period in mid-spring is usually the most intense time of year here.
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Pollen forecast neighborhoods 65 neighborhoods
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Frequently Asked Questions About Pollen in Western Cape
Is pollen high in Cape Town right now?
On 10 October 2026, overall pollen levels in Cape Town are moderate. Urtica is the main contributor to airborne pollen, while artemisia, cypress, morus, and myrtle remain at lower levels
Will pollen levels change in Cape Town tomorrow?
On 11 October 2026, pollen conditions in Cape Town will be different from today, with urtica at moderate levels, morus at low levels, myrtle at low levels and artemisia, cypress continuing to decline
Is pollen expected to decrease in Cape Town this week?
According to the five-day outlook, urtica, artemisia, cypress, morus, myrtle, and grass pollen levels will increase later in the week.
Which pollen types are currently active in Cape Town?
On 10 October 2026, Urtica is the dominant pollen source in Cape Town. artemisia, cypress, morus, and myrtle are also present but at lower levels. oak, platanus, and grass are not currently active.
When is pollen season in Cape Town?
How often is the Cape Town pollen forecast updated?
The Cape Town pollen forecast is updated four times daily. See the timestamp below for the most recent update.
Does pollen in Cape Town 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 Cape Town 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 Cape Town, 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 pollen scores represent risk levels, not direct pollen measurements. Higher scores indicate higher risk.
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. |
Get More in the Airmine Pollen app
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).
