Chicago pollen forecast — New East Side neighborhood

On 9 August 2026, overall pollen levels in Chicago are low. Ambrosia is the main contributor to airborne pollen

On 10 August 2026, pollen conditions in Chicago will be different from today, with artemisia at low levels, grass at low levels and ambrosia increasing

According to the five-day outlook, ambrosia, artemisia, and grass pollen levels are expected to gradually decrease, suggesting improving conditions later in the week.

On 9 August 2026, Ambrosia is the dominant pollen source in Chicago. artemisia, cypress, and grass are not currently active.

Water-edge hazel and willow are usually the first allergenic trees active here, topping out well before most other trees start releasing pollen, around February and March. Grass pollen rises through late spring toward a June high point, with ragweed then rising to the fore from mid-August through October. Year-to-year timing varies a little, though the general sequence stays fairly consistent here.

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

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.

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 Chicago, 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.