Howick pollen forecast - today, tomorrow and the week ahead
Pollen Today
Today (20 September) pollen in Howick is moderate; cypress, eucalyptus, mugwort, mulberry, and plane are moderate; oak is low.
Pollen Tomorrow
Tomorrow (21 September 2026) cypress remains moderate, eucalyptus remains moderate, oak remains low, mulberry remains moderate, plane remains moderate, mugwort declining.
7-Day Trend
Over the next week oak will increase; cypress, eucalyptus, mugwort, mulberry, and plane will decrease; grass 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 | 50/100 |
| Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) | Moderate | 50/100 |
| Grass (Poaceae) | None | 0/100 |
| Oak (Quercus) | Low | 16/100 |
| Willow (Salicaceae) | None | 0/100 |
| Mugwort (Artemisia) | Moderate | 33/100 |
| Mulberry (Morus) | Moderate | 50/100 |
| Plane (Platanus) | Moderate | 38/100 |
| 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 | 50/100 | |
| Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) | Moderate | 41/100 | |
| Grass (Poaceae) | None | 0/100 | |
| Oak (Quercus) | Low | 5/100 | |
| Willow (Salicaceae) | None | 0/100 | — |
| Mugwort (Artemisia) | Low | 21/100 | |
| Mulberry (Morus) | Moderate | 41/100 | |
| Plane (Platanus) | Moderate | 26/100 | |
| Nettle (Urtica) | None | 0/100 |
Local Environmental Conditions
Howick lies roughly 90 km west-northwest of Durban. Acacia thornveld, eucalyptus, and rolling Natal grassland dominate the vegetation around Howick, with exposure varying between planted residential greenery and more open surrounding farmland. The area's dairy and forestry farming operations adds to a landscape shaped by the Midlands' cooler, elevated climate, consistent with the wider KwaZulu-Natal Midlands landscape that shapes daily exposure across the wider Midlands district.
Howick's KwaZulu-Natal Midlands season opens in August with acacia thornveld and eucalyptus before grass from the surrounding grassland and farmland peaks through November and December. The dry Highveld-style winter, together with dairy and forestry farming operations nearby, suppresses pollen until the summer rains take hold, a pattern typical of the wider KwaZulu-Natal Midlands region.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Pollen in KwaZulu-Natal
Is pollen high in Howick right now?
On 20 September 2026, overall pollen levels in Howick are moderate. Artemisia is the main contributor to airborne pollen, while cypress, morus, myrtle, platanus, and oak remain at lower levels
Will pollen levels change in Howick tomorrow?
On 21 September 2026, pollen conditions in Howick will be different from today, with oak at low levels, cypress at moderate levels, morus at moderate levels, myrtle at moderate levels, platanus at moderate levels and artemisia continuing to decline
Is pollen expected to decrease in Howick this week?
According to the five-day outlook, artemisia, cypress, morus, myrtle, and platanus pollen levels are expected to gradually decrease, while oak pollen will increase, suggesting mixed conditions later in the week.
Which pollen types are currently active in Howick?
On 20 September 2026, Artemisia is the dominant pollen source in Howick. cypress, morus, myrtle, platanus, and oak are also present but at lower levels. urtica and grass are not currently active.
When is pollen season in Howick?
How often is the Howick pollen forecast updated?
The Howick pollen forecast is updated four times daily. See the timestamp below for the most recent update.
Does pollen in Howick 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 Howick 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 Howick, 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).
