Pongola pollen forecast - today, tomorrow and the week ahead
Pollen Today
Today (20 September) pollen in Pongola is moderate; cypress, mugwort, mulberry, and plane are moderate; eucalyptus and nettle are low.
Pollen Tomorrow
Tomorrow (21 September 2026) cypress remains moderate, eucalyptus remains low, mulberry remains moderate, nettle remains low, mugwort declining, plane declining.
7-Day Trend
Over the next week cypress, eucalyptus, mugwort, mulberry, plane, and nettle will decrease; grass and oak 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) | Low | 19/100 |
| Grass (Poaceae) | None | 0/100 |
| Oak (Quercus) | None | 0/100 |
| Willow (Salicaceae) | None | 0/100 |
| Mugwort (Artemisia) | Moderate | 33/100 |
| Mulberry (Morus) | Moderate | 40/100 |
| Plane (Platanus) | Moderate | 35/100 |
| Nettle (Urtica) | Low | 24/100 |
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 | 43/100 | |
| Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) | Low | 5/100 | |
| Grass (Poaceae) | None | 0/100 | |
| Oak (Quercus) | None | 0/100 | |
| Willow (Salicaceae) | None | 0/100 | — |
| Mugwort (Artemisia) | Low | 20/100 | |
| Mulberry (Morus) | Moderate | 27/100 | |
| Plane (Platanus) | Low | 21/100 | |
| Nettle (Urtica) | Low | 11/100 |
Local Environmental Conditions
Pongola lies roughly 280 km north-northeast of Durban. Subtropical coastal forest, palm, and introduced kikuyu grass dominate the vegetation around Pongola, with exposure varying between shaded forest patches and more open coastal or residential areas. The area's conservation and tourism activity adds to a landscape sustained by warm, humid year-round growth, consistent with the broader KwaZulu-Natal coastal belt that shapes daily exposure across the wider coastal district.
Pongola's subtropical coastal season builds gradually from September through the humid summer, extending into February without one sharp peak. Coastal forest and grass are the main pollen sources, while conservation and tourism activity nearby and onshore Indian Ocean breezes help disperse pollen on most days, a pattern typical of the broader KwaZulu-Natal coastal belt.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Pollen in KwaZulu-Natal
Is pollen high in Pongola right now?
On 20 September 2026, overall pollen levels in Pongola are moderate. Artemisia is the main contributor to airborne pollen, while cypress, morus, platanus, urtica, and myrtle remain at lower levels
Will pollen levels change in Pongola tomorrow?
On 21 September 2026, pollen conditions in Pongola will be different from today, with urtica at low levels, cypress at moderate levels, morus at moderate levels, myrtle at low levels and artemisia, platanus continuing to decline
Is pollen expected to decrease in Pongola this week?
According to the five-day outlook, urtica, artemisia, cypress, morus, myrtle, and platanus pollen levels are expected to gradually decrease, suggesting improving conditions later in the week.
Which pollen types are currently active in Pongola?
On 20 September 2026, Artemisia is the dominant pollen source in Pongola. cypress, morus, platanus, urtica, and myrtle are also present but at lower levels. oak and grass are not currently active.
When is pollen season in Pongola?
How often is the Pongola pollen forecast updated?
The Pongola pollen forecast is updated four times daily. See the timestamp below for the most recent update.
Does pollen in Pongola 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 Pongola 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 Pongola, 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).
