Richards Bay Pollen Forecast - Today, Tomorrow and the Week Ahead
Pollen Today
Today (11 October) pollen in Richards Bay is moderate; cypress, mulberry, nettle, and mold (cladosporium) are moderate; eucalyptus, grass, mugwort, and mold (alternaria) are low.
Pollen Tomorrow
Tomorrow (12 October 2026) cypress remains moderate, mugwort remains low, nettle remains moderate, mold (alternaria) remains low, mold (cladosporium) remains moderate, mulberry declining, eucalyptus no longer expected, grass no longer expected.
7-Day Trend
Over the next week cypress, eucalyptus, grass, mugwort, mulberry, nettle, and mold (cladosporium) will increase; oak, plane, and mold (alternaria) will remain stable.
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Air Quality & Mold
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Pollen Risk
Today - 11 October
| Pollen species | Level | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Alder (Alnus) | None | 0/100 |
| Birch (Betula) | None | 0/100 |
| Hazel (Corylus) | None | 0/100 |
| Cypress (Cupressaceae) | Moderate | 40/100 |
| Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) | Low | 7/100 |
| Grass (Poaceae) | Low | 6/100 |
| Oak (Quercus) | None | 0/100 |
| Willow (Salicaceae) | None | 0/100 |
| Mugwort (Artemisia) | Low | 23/100 |
| Mulberry (Morus) | Moderate | 27/100 |
| Plane (Platanus) | None | 0/100 |
| Nettle (Urtica) | Moderate | 35/100 |
| Mold (Alternaria) | Low | 16/100 |
| Mold (Cladosporium) | Moderate | 26/100 |
Tomorrow - 12 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) | Moderate | 29/100 | |
| Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) | None | 0/100 | |
| Grass (Poaceae) | None | 0/100 | |
| Oak (Quercus) | None | 0/100 | |
| Willow (Salicaceae) | None | 0/100 | — |
| Mugwort (Artemisia) | Low | 12/100 | |
| Mulberry (Morus) | Low | 17/100 | |
| Plane (Platanus) | None | 0/100 | |
| Nettle (Urtica) | Moderate | 26/100 | |
| Mold (Alternaria) | Low | 18/100 | |
| Mold (Cladosporium) | Moderate | 27/100 |
Local Environmental Conditions
The area around Richards Bay is mostly woodland, with some open grassland and built-up land. With Meerensee Lake nearby, lakeside vegetation along its shore contributes to the local mix. Trees are an important local pollen source, given how much woodland surrounds the area. Grass pollen is plentiful, while pigweed leads among the weeds.
Temperatures stay between about 20°C and 25°C through the year, so plants release pollen in most months. Levels tend to be highest in the drier months around June to August. During the rainy season, frequent heavy downpours wash much of the pollen out of the air. Mold spores join in from early summer into early fall, when damp, warm spells let them thrive.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Pollen in KwaZulu-Natal
Is pollen high in Richards Bay right now?
On 11 October 2026, overall pollen levels in Richards Bay are moderate. Urtica is the main contributor to airborne pollen, while cypress, morus, artemisia, myrtle, and grass remain at lower levels
Will pollen levels change in Richards Bay tomorrow?
On 12 October 2026, pollen conditions in Richards Bay will be different from today, with urtica at moderate levels, artemisia at low levels, cypress at moderate levels and morus continuing to decline
Is pollen expected to decrease in Richards Bay 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 Richards Bay?
On 11 October 2026, Urtica is the dominant pollen source in Richards Bay. cypress, morus, artemisia, myrtle, and grass are also present but at lower levels. platanus and oak are not currently active.
When is pollen season in Richards Bay?
How often is the Richards Bay pollen forecast updated?
The Richards Bay pollen forecast is updated four times daily. See the timestamp below for the most recent update.
Does pollen in Richards Bay 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 Richards Bay 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 Richards Bay, 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).