When is pollen worst in Durham?

The late-summer ragweed run is the headline in Durham: weed pollen peaks Aug–Nov, the longest and most punishing window of the year here. Tree pollen comes first (Feb–Apr) and grass bridges the gap (Apr–Sep), but it's the ragweed stretch that floors most sufferers. Currently, grass and ragweed pollen are in season.

What's in the air in Durham right now?

In September, grass and ragweed pollen are in season in Durham — grass peaks Apr–Sep and ragweed peaks Aug–Nov. On Durham's warm, humid subtropical Southeast calendar the typical September level is High, led by ragweed pollen — a seasonal estimate, not a live count.

Is tree or grass pollen higher in Durham in spring?

In spring, tree pollen leads in Durham — trees pollinate Feb–Apr, ahead of grass (Apr–Sep). 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 Durham's pollen season distinctive?

Durham sits in the warm, humid subtropical Southeast zone, which means an unusually long, overlapping season — the warm climate stretches grass across much of the year and pushes ragweed deep into autumn. That shapes when symptoms hit and which allergen to watch.

How do I reduce pollen exposure in Durham?

Through Durham's peak windows (tree Feb–Apr, grass Apr–Sep, ragweed Aug–Nov), 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.

When does the next pollen season start in Durham?

Tree pollen is next in Durham: it opens around week 5 (early February), peaks around week 11, and runs about 91 days.

What is the allergy forecast in Durham today?

With no live reading for Durham today, its allergy forecast is the seasonal estimate above: a typical September level of High, led by ragweed pollen.

Durham, North Carolina Pollen Count & Allergy Forecast

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

Durham, NC · Pollen season

In September, grass and ragweed pollen are in season in Durham — grass peaks Apr–Sep and ragweed peaks Aug–Nov.

Based on the seasonal pollen calendar for this region.

Durham on the WeatherStory Allergy Index

Durham isn't one of the 100 metros on the WeatherStory Allergy Index, but the nearest ranked metro — Raleigh, NC, about 18 miles away — sits at #15 with a 304-day combined pollen season.

#15of 100nearest ranked metro

Load index: 42
Combined season: 304 days
Heaviest load: Grass · 183 days
Nearest ranked metro: Raleigh, NC · ~18 mi

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

Typical now — Septemberseasonal estimate, not a live reading

Ragweed pollen typically leads in Durham in September, at an estimated High level.

Pollen by type this season

TreeOut of seasonpeaks Feb–Apr
GrassIn seasonpeaks Apr–Sep
Weed / RagweedIn seasonpeaks Aug–Nov

What pollinates near Durham

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

Trees

Oak Quercuspeaks March–April
Loblolly pine Pinus taedapeaks March–April
Pecan Carya illinoinensispeaks April–May
Sweetgum Liquidambar styracifluapeaks March–April
Mulberry Moruspeaks March–April
Elm Ulmuspeaks February–March

Grasses

Bermuda grass Cynodon dactylonpeaks May–September
Bahia grass Paspalum notatumpeaks May–September
Johnson grass Sorghum halepensepeaks June–August
Timothy Phleum pratensepeaks May–June

Weeds

Common ragweed Ambrosia artemisiifoliapeaks August–October
Giant ragweed Ambrosia trifidapeaks August–October
Pigweed Amaranthuspeaks August–September
English plantain Plantago lanceolatapeaks May–September

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

Durham’s allergy year

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

JFMAMJJASOND

TreeFeb–Apr

GrassApr–Sep

RagweedAug–Nov

How Durham compares to the U.S. average

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

Tree~3 wks earlier

Grass~3 wks earlier

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 Durham’s pollen count works

The calendar above is tuned to Durham’s warm, humid subtropical Southeast climate, not a national average: tree pollen runs from week 5 (early February) to week 17 (late April), grass from week 14 (early April) to week 39 (late September), and ragweed from week 31 (early August) to week 48 (late November) here — a 304-day combined pollen season. Those windows are why grass and ragweed pollen are in season in Durham right now.

No live count is wired up for Durham today, so the seasonal calendar above is your guide to which allergen is in season.

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

Frequently asked

When is pollen worst in Durham?: The late-summer ragweed run is the headline in Durham: weed pollen peaks Aug–Nov, the longest and most punishing window of the year here. Tree pollen comes first (Feb–Apr) and grass bridges the gap (Apr–Sep), but it's the ragweed stretch that floors most sufferers. Currently, grass and ragweed pollen are in season.
What's in the air in Durham right now?: In September, grass and ragweed pollen are in season in Durham — grass peaks Apr–Sep and ragweed peaks Aug–Nov. On Durham's warm, humid subtropical Southeast calendar the typical September level is High, led by ragweed pollen — a seasonal estimate, not a live count.
Is tree or grass pollen higher in Durham in spring?: In spring, tree pollen leads in Durham — trees pollinate Feb–Apr, ahead of grass (Apr–Sep). 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 Durham's pollen season distinctive?: Durham sits in the warm, humid subtropical Southeast zone, which means an unusually long, overlapping season — the warm climate stretches grass across much of the year and pushes ragweed deep into autumn. That shapes when symptoms hit and which allergen to watch.
How do I reduce pollen exposure in Durham?: Through Durham's peak windows (tree Feb–Apr, grass Apr–Sep, ragweed Aug–Nov), 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.
When does the next pollen season start in Durham?: Tree pollen is next in Durham: it opens around week 5 (early February), peaks around week 11, and runs about 91 days.
What is the allergy forecast in Durham today?: With no live reading for Durham today, its allergy forecast is the seasonal estimate above: a typical September level of High, led by ragweed pollen.