When is pollen worst in Ketchikan?

Ketchikan's season is short and front-loaded: a sharp tree burst Apr–Jun is the main event, grass is brief (Jun–Jul), and ragweed (Aug–Sep) is nearly an afterthought. Miss the spring tree window and you've largely missed the year. Currently, ragweed pollen is what's driving counts this month.

What's in the air in Ketchikan right now?

In August, ragweed pollen is in season in Ketchikan — the dominant allergen you're likely reacting to right now. A live count, when available, confirms the day's actual reading; this reflects the typical peak windows for Ketchikan's subarctic Alaskan climate.

Is tree or grass pollen higher in Ketchikan in spring?

In spring, tree pollen leads in Ketchikan — trees pollinate Apr–Jun, ahead of grass (Jun–Jul). The handoff is the tail of the tree window: tree counts taper as grass climbs, so an early-spring flare is more likely tree pollen and a late-spring one more likely grass.

What makes Ketchikan's pollen season distinctive?

Ketchikan sits in the subarctic Alaskan zone, which means a compressed, birch-driven calendar — the season is short and tree-dominated, with grass brief in midsummer and ragweed nearly absent. That shapes when symptoms hit and which allergen to watch.

How do I reduce pollen exposure in Ketchikan?

Through Ketchikan's peak windows (tree Apr–Jun, grass Jun–Jul, ragweed Aug–Sep), keep windows shut and run AC on recirculate; counts run highest on dry, warm, windy mornings, so push outdoor activity to late afternoon or just after rain, which clears pollen from the air. A HEPA purifier indoors, a saline rinse after being outside, showering before bed, and starting antihistamines a week or two before your worst local window all measurably cut symptoms.

What pollen index counts as high?

Pollen is reported on a categorical scale — None, Low, Moderate, High, and Very High. "High" and above means most allergy sufferers notice symptoms even with brief outdoor exposure, and sensitized people should limit time outside and pre-medicate. "Low" to "Moderate" usually only affects highly sensitive individuals.

What is the allergy forecast in Ketchikan today?

The allergy forecast is the airborne-pollen outlook that drives hay fever — exactly what this page tracks. Today's pollen level for Ketchikan is shown above, broken into the tree, grass, and ragweed pollen behind most seasonal allergies. When the reading is High or Very High, plan for symptoms and pre-medicate; the seasonal calendar below shows which allergen leads in each part of the year.

Ketchikan, Alaska Pollen Count & Allergy Forecast

Ketchikan pollen count and allergy forecast — tree, grass, and ragweed seasons and what’s pollinating now

Ketchikan, AK · Pollen season

In August, ragweed pollen is in season in Ketchikan — the dominant allergen you're likely reacting to right now.

Based on the seasonal pollen calendar for this region.

Ketchikan on the WeatherStory Allergy Index

Ketchikan isn't one of the 100 metros on the WeatherStory Allergy Index, but the nearest ranked metro — Seattle, WA, about 668 miles away — sits at #79 with a 274-day combined pollen season.

#79of 100nearest ranked metro

Load index: 30
Combined season: 274 days
Heaviest load: Tree · 122 days
Nearest ranked metro: Seattle, WA · ~668 mi

See the full 100 worst U.S. cities for pollen — a modeled seasonal load ranking (see methodology).

Typical now — Augustseasonal estimate, not a live reading

Ragweed pollen typically leads in Ketchikan this time of year, at an estimated Low level. No live count is wired up; this reflects the seasonal calendar.

Pollen by type this season

TreeOut of seasonpeaks Apr–Jun
GrassOut of seasonpeaks Jun–Jul
Weed / RagweedIn seasonpeaks Aug–Sep

What pollinates near Ketchikan

The tree, grass, and weed species that drive Ketchikan’s pollen seasons, with each plant’s typical peak.

Trees

Paper birch Betula papyriferapeaks May–June
Alder Alnuspeaks April–May
Spruce Piceapeaks May–June
Poplar Populuspeaks May–June
Willow Salixpeaks May–June

Grasses

Bluejoint reedgrass Calamagrostis canadensispeaks June–July
Timothy Phleum pratensepeaks June–July
Kentucky bluegrass Poa pratensispeaks June–July
Fescue Festucapeaks June–July

Weeds

Fireweed Chamerion angustifoliumpeaks July–August
Lamb's quarters Chenopodium albumpeaks August–September
Plantain Plantagopeaks July–August
Sagewort Artemisiapeaks August–September

Species are the region’s common wind-pollinated plants; peak months are a seasonal estimate, not a measured count — see methodology.

Ketchikan’s allergy year

Typical month-by-month pollen intensity for Ketchikan, tuned to its latitude and climate region — darker means higher typical counts. The highlighted column is the current month.

JFMAMJJASOND

TreeFeb–May

GrassApr–Jun

RagweedAug–Sep

How Ketchikan compares to the U.S. average

Each colored bar is Ketchikan’s typical season against the national-average window (grey). The offset is the per-city timing shift.

Treeabout average

Grassabout average

Ragweedabout average

“U.S. average” is the textbook tree Mar–May, grass May–Jul, ragweed Aug–Oct calendar. The shift is a phenology estimate (Hopkins’ bioclimatic law), not a measured count — see methodology.

How Ketchikan’s pollen count works

The calendar above is tuned to Ketchikan’s subarctic Alaskan climate, not a national average: tree pollen runs from week 5 (early February) to week 18 (early May), grass from week 14 (early April) to week 23 (early June), and ragweed from week 31 (early August) to week 36 (early September) here — a 213-day combined pollen season. Those windows are why ragweed pollen is the one in season in Ketchikan right now.

No live count is wired up for Ketchikan today, so the seasonal calendar above is your guide to which allergen is in season. Counts run highest on warm, dry, windy mornings and drop after rain, which washes pollen out of the air — reported on the None / Low / Moderate / High / Very High scale.

Frequently asked

When is pollen worst in Ketchikan?: Ketchikan's season is short and front-loaded: a sharp tree burst Apr–Jun is the main event, grass is brief (Jun–Jul), and ragweed (Aug–Sep) is nearly an afterthought. Miss the spring tree window and you've largely missed the year. Currently, ragweed pollen is what's driving counts this month.
What's in the air in Ketchikan right now?: In August, ragweed pollen is in season in Ketchikan — the dominant allergen you're likely reacting to right now. A live count, when available, confirms the day's actual reading; this reflects the typical peak windows for Ketchikan's subarctic Alaskan climate.
Is tree or grass pollen higher in Ketchikan in spring?: In spring, tree pollen leads in Ketchikan — trees pollinate Apr–Jun, ahead of grass (Jun–Jul). The handoff is the tail of the tree window: tree counts taper as grass climbs, so an early-spring flare is more likely tree pollen and a late-spring one more likely grass.
What makes Ketchikan's pollen season distinctive?: Ketchikan sits in the subarctic Alaskan zone, which means a compressed, birch-driven calendar — the season is short and tree-dominated, with grass brief in midsummer and ragweed nearly absent. That shapes when symptoms hit and which allergen to watch.
How do I reduce pollen exposure in Ketchikan?: Through Ketchikan's peak windows (tree Apr–Jun, grass Jun–Jul, ragweed Aug–Sep), keep windows shut and run AC on recirculate; counts run highest on dry, warm, windy mornings, so push outdoor activity to late afternoon or just after rain, which clears pollen from the air. A HEPA purifier indoors, a saline rinse after being outside, showering before bed, and starting antihistamines a week or two before your worst local window all measurably cut symptoms.
What pollen index counts as high?: Pollen is reported on a categorical scale — None, Low, Moderate, High, and Very High. "High" and above means most allergy sufferers notice symptoms even with brief outdoor exposure, and sensitized people should limit time outside and pre-medicate. "Low" to "Moderate" usually only affects highly sensitive individuals.
What is the allergy forecast in Ketchikan today?: The allergy forecast is the airborne-pollen outlook that drives hay fever — exactly what this page tracks. Today's pollen level for Ketchikan is shown above, broken into the tree, grass, and ragweed pollen behind most seasonal allergies. When the reading is High or Very High, plan for symptoms and pre-medicate; the seasonal calendar below shows which allergen leads in each part of the year.

Pollen & allergy guides

For the science behind Ketchikan’s pollen seasons — how counts are measured, when each type peaks, and what the numbers mean — see the pollen & allergy guides.

More for Ketchikan

See the full Ketchikan, AK weather forecast — hour-by-hour outlook, NOAA radar, satellite, and air quality.