Melbourne Marathon - Pollen and Air Quality Forecast for Today
Pollen levels are today low across the route. Air quality along the route is good, with all pollutants at low levels. Based on Airmine's forecast, which uses satellite data to calculate exposure every 200 metres along the route, air quality is at its worst 2.0 km after start.
For long term forecasts and maps, see the Airmine app
Developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) team
Use our Strava plugin to check your own exposure.
Melbourne Marathon runs through the Melbourne city streets, Yarra River corridor, and St Kilda foreshore, with eucalyptus, acacia, and introduced urban trees as the main tree pollen sources along the route. The October race date coincides with the spring grass peak, making this one of Australia's most challenging events for pollen allergy sufferers, while the thunderstorm asthma risk is particularly relevant around this date and Port Phillip Bay onshore breezes can periodically disperse pollen throughout.
Today - 16 July
Pollen
Alder (Alnus):
None
0/100
Birch (Betula):
None
0/100
Hazel (Corylus):
None
0/100
Cypress (Cupressaceae):
None
0/100
Grass (Poaceae):
None
0/100
Willow (Salicaceae):
None
0/100
Oak (Quercus):
None
0/100
Mugwort (Artemisia):
None
0/100
Mulberry (Morus):
None
0/100
Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae):
None
0/100
Plane (Platanus):
None
0/100
Nettle (Urtica):
None
0/100
Acacia (Acacia):
None
0/100
Ragweed (Ambrosia):
None
0/100
Air Quality
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Good
5.8/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
1.9/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Good
16.9/100
O3 (ozone):
Good
7.6/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
4.4/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
2.1/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
6.1/100
Levels show the highest exposure along the full route
Other routes:
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is air quality worst on the Melbourne Marathon route?
Based on today's forecast, NO2 is forecast at good levels along the route today (16.9/100). Air quality is at its worst after 2.0 km into the route. Airmine calculates exposure at 200m intervals along the course using satellite-derived atmospheric data.
Where is pollen highest on the Melbourne Marathon course?
Pollen levels are relatively low across the entire route today. This changes through the season as different pollen species become active.
When is pollen worst during the Melbourne Marathon season?
Pollen seasons vary by location. Tree pollen (birch, alder) typically peaks in spring, while grass pollen rises in May-June.
How often is this forecast updated?
Updated four times daily. See the timestamp below for the most recent update.
Are pollen levels in Melbourne Marathon 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 Melbourne Marathon, 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.
Levels show the highest exposure along the full route. Airmine uses satellite data to calculate pollen and air quality every 200 metres along each race route, updated four times daily.
Data provided by Airmine — Last update: 16 July 2026 at 10:33 CEST (Data is updated four times daily.)
This forecast is produced independently using Airmine's own atmospheric data and models.
Unless explicitly made clear, the content on this site has not been paid for by external organisations and is Airmine's sole responsibiity.