Fox Lake pollen forecast - today, tomorrow and the week ahead
Pollen Today
Today (20 September) pollen in Fox Lake is moderate; ragweed is moderate; grass is low.
Pollen Tomorrow
Tomorrow (21 September 2026) levels are similar to today.
7-Day Trend
Over the next week grass, mugwort, and ragweed will increase.
Explore Forecasts
Air Quality
Pollen in Other Cities
Air Quality in Other Cities
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) | None | 0/100 |
| Grass (Poaceae) | Low | 15/100 |
| Willow (Salicaceae) | None | 0/100 |
| Mugwort (Artemisia) | None | 0/100 |
| Ragweed (Ambrosia) | Moderate | 38/100 |
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) | None | 0/100 | — |
| Grass (Poaceae) | Low | 3/100 | |
| Willow (Salicaceae) | None | 0/100 | — |
| Mugwort (Artemisia) | None | 0/100 | |
| Ragweed (Ambrosia) | Moderate | 26/100 |
Local Environmental Conditions
Fox Lake lies in the Chain O'Lakes region of Lake County, not far from Squaw Creek and Grant Woods Forest Preserve. The surrounding landscape is dominated by floodplain willow and cattail marsh. Squaw Creek winds through the wider area, its banks favoring moisture-loving trees such as willow and alder. Local vegetation still varies with soil type and drainage.
Along Squaw Creek, willow and alder are typically the first trees to shed pollen, with activity building through late winter into early March. Hardwoods around Grant Woods Forest Preserve follow, pushing tree pollen to its height through April and into May. Farther out toward the Fox River and the Chain O'Lakes wetlands, tree pollen tends to follow this same rough schedule.
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
Sports venues in Fox Lake 2 sports venues
Frequently Asked Questions About Pollen in Illinois
Is pollen high in Fox Lake right now?
On 20 September 2026, overall pollen levels in Fox Lake are moderate. Ambrosia is the main contributor to airborne pollen, while grass remain at lower levels
Will pollen levels change in Fox Lake tomorrow?
On 21 September 2026, pollen conditions in Fox Lake will be similar to today, with ambrosia at moderate levels, grass at low levels
Is pollen expected to decrease in Fox Lake this week?
According to the five-day outlook, ambrosia, artemisia, and grass pollen levels will increase later in the week.
Which pollen types are currently active in Fox Lake?
On 20 September 2026, Ambrosia is the dominant pollen source in Fox Lake. grass are also present but at lower levels. artemisia are not currently active.
When is pollen season in Fox Lake?
How often is the Fox Lake pollen forecast updated?
The Fox Lake pollen forecast is updated four times daily. See the timestamp below for the most recent update.
Does pollen in Fox Lake 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 Fox Lake 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 Fox Lake, 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).