Tarkastad pollen forecast - today, tomorrow and the week ahead
Pollen Today
Today (20 September) pollen in Tarkastad is moderate; cypress, eucalyptus, mulberry, plane, and nettle are moderate; mugwort is low.
Pollen Tomorrow
Tomorrow (21 September 2026) mugwort remains low, cypress declining, eucalyptus declining, mulberry declining, plane declining, nettle declining.
7-Day Trend
Over the next week nettle will increase; cypress, eucalyptus, mugwort, mulberry, and plane will decrease; grass and oak will remain stable.
Explore Forecasts
Air Quality
Pollen in Other Cities
Air Quality in Other Cities
Get More in Our App
Local pollen and air quality forecasts, interactive pollen maps and route profiles
Features and forecast availability vary by region.
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 | 34/100 |
| Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) | Moderate | 32/100 |
| Grass (Poaceae) | None | 0/100 |
| Oak (Quercus) | None | 0/100 |
| Willow (Salicaceae) | None | 0/100 |
| Mugwort (Artemisia) | Low | 24/100 |
| Mulberry (Morus) | Moderate | 36/100 |
| Plane (Platanus) | Moderate | 28/100 |
| Nettle (Urtica) | Moderate | 36/100 |
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) | Low | 22/100 | |
| Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) | Low | 20/100 | |
| Grass (Poaceae) | None | 0/100 | |
| Oak (Quercus) | None | 0/100 | |
| Willow (Salicaceae) | None | 0/100 | — |
| Mugwort (Artemisia) | Low | 11/100 | |
| Mulberry (Morus) | Low | 24/100 | |
| Plane (Platanus) | Low | 15/100 | |
| Nettle (Urtica) | Low | 24/100 |
Local Environmental Conditions
Tarkastad lies roughly 230 km north-northeast of Gqeberha. Tarkastad's plant life is dominated by hardy scrub and camel thorn acacia adapted to the arid Karoo climate, with a little irrigated greenery inside town itself. Surrounding sheep and ostrich farming operations contributes to a landscape where vegetation cover, and pollen, stay sparse outside the brief spring flush, consistent with the wider semi-arid Karoo landscape.
Camel thorn acacia opens the short Karoo pollen season at Tarkastad in August, with grass adding a further peak through September and October before the dry summer sets back in. The region's sheep and ostrich farming operations shapes much of the surrounding land beyond this brief seasonal window, a pattern typical of the wider semi-arid Karoo interior.
Get pollen & AQ on Strava
Follow your environmental exposure and performance with the free Airmine-Strava integration. See your pollen and air quality exposure for every Strava activity.
Resource Hub
Frequently Asked Questions About Pollen in Eastern Cape
Is pollen high in Tarkastad right now?
On 20 September 2026, overall pollen levels in Tarkastad are moderate. Urtica is the main contributor to airborne pollen, while cypress, morus, myrtle, platanus, and artemisia remain at lower levels
Will pollen levels change in Tarkastad tomorrow?
On 21 September 2026, pollen conditions in Tarkastad will be different from today, with artemisia at low levels and urtica, cypress, morus, myrtle, platanus continuing to decline
Is pollen expected to decrease in Tarkastad this week?
According to the five-day outlook, artemisia, cypress, morus, myrtle, and platanus pollen levels are expected to gradually decrease, while urtica pollen will increase, suggesting mixed conditions later in the week.
Which pollen types are currently active in Tarkastad?
On 20 September 2026, Urtica is the dominant pollen source in Tarkastad. cypress, morus, myrtle, platanus, and artemisia are also present but at lower levels. grass and oak are not currently active.
When is pollen season in Tarkastad?
How often is the Tarkastad pollen forecast updated?
The Tarkastad pollen forecast is updated four times daily. See the timestamp below for the most recent update.
Does pollen in Tarkastad 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 Tarkastad 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 Tarkastad, 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. |
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).
