East London pollen forecast - today, tomorrow and the week ahead

Today (16 July) pollen in East London is low; cypress is low. Tomorrow (17 July 2026) levels are similar - cypress remains low, mugwort at low levels. Over the following five days cypress and mugwort will increase. Forecasts are calculated by Airmine using satellites to map local vegetation and determine pollen season onset.

For long term forecasts and maps, see the Airmine app

Developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) team

Use our Strava plugin to check your own exposure.

East London lies roughly 240 km east-northeast of Gqeberha. East London's vegetation draws on acacia, wattle, and dense thicket typical of the Eastern Cape, with exposure shifting between valley cover and more open ground nearby. Surrounding mixed farming and light industrial activity adds further variety to a landscape supported by both winter and summer rainfall patterns, consistent with this transitional Eastern Cape vegetation zone.

Today - 16 July

  • Alder (Alnus):

    None

    0/100

  • Birch (Betula):

    None

    0/100

  • Hazel (Corylus):

    None

    0/100

  • Cypress (Cupressaceae):

    Low

    16/100

  • Grass (Poaceae):

    None

    0/100

  • Willow (Salicaceae):

    None

    0/100

  • Mugwort (Artemisia):

    None

    0/100

  • Mulberry (Morus):

    None

    0/100

  • Plane (Platanus):

    None

    0/100

  • Urtica:

    None

    0/100

High pollen levels may trigger sneezing, itchy eyes, and congestion. Airmine's neighbourhood estimates use satellites to map local vegetation and a statistical prediction model, updated four times daily.

Tomorrow - 17 July

  • Alder (Alnus):

    None

    0/100

  • Birch (Betula):

    None

    0/100

  • Hazel (Corylus):

    None

    0/100

  • Cypress (Cupressaceae):

    Low

    19/100

  • Grass (Poaceae):

    None

    0/100

  • Willow (Salicaceae):

    None

    0/100

  • Mugwort (Artemisia):

    Low

    1/100

  • Mulberry (Morus):

    None

    0/100

  • Plane (Platanus):

    None

    0/100

  • Urtica:

    None

    0/100

Air quality in East London

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Sports venues in East London

Frequently Asked Questions

Is pollen high in East London right now?

On 16 July 2026, overall pollen levels in East London are low. Cypress is the main contributor to airborne pollen

Will pollen levels change in East London tomorrow?

On 17 July 2026, pollen conditions in East London will be different from today, with artemisia at low levels, cypress at low levels

Is pollen expected to decrease in East London this week?

According to the five-day outlook, artemisia and cypress pollen levels will increase later in the week.

Which pollen types are currently active in East London?

On 16 July 2026, Cypress is the dominant pollen source in East London. morus, platanus, urtica, and artemisia are not currently active.

When is pollen season in East London?
At East London, acacia and wattle open the Eastern Cape pollen season in July, with thicket vegetation and grass building to a peak by September and October. The transitional rainfall pattern and the surrounding mixed farming and light industrial activity together keep the season spread fairly evenly across several months, a pattern typical of this transitional Eastern Cape climate zone.
How often is the East London pollen forecast updated?

The East London pollen forecast is updated four times daily. See the timestamp below for the most recent update.

Does pollen in East London 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 East London 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 East London, 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.

Want to see pollen forecasts for other cities in South Africa?

Check pollen in other popular cities:

Data provided by Airmine — Last update: 16 July 2026 at 10:33 CEST (Data is updated four times daily.)

This page provides the latest public pollen forecast for East London.

For long term forecasts and maps, see the Airmine app

Unless explicitly made clear, the content on this site has not been paid for by external organisations and is Airmine's sole responsibility.