When is pollen worst in Tacoma?

Tacoma runs the classic three-wave calendar: tree pollen Feb–May, grass Apr–Jul, then ragweed Aug–Oct. The two worst stretches are the spring tree peak and the late-summer ragweed peak. Currently, ragweed pollen is what's driving counts this month.

What's in the air in Tacoma right now?

In August, ragweed pollen is in season in Tacoma — 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 Tacoma's mild, wet Pacific Northwest climate.

Is tree or grass pollen higher in Tacoma in spring?

In spring, tree pollen leads in Tacoma — trees pollinate Feb–May, ahead of grass (Apr–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 Tacoma's pollen season distinctive?

Tacoma sits in the mild, wet Pacific Northwest zone, which means a mild, wet pattern in which a long grass season is usually the bigger problem than the early tree burst, and ragweed stays light. That shapes when symptoms hit and which allergen to watch.

How do I reduce pollen exposure in Tacoma?

Through Tacoma's peak windows (tree Feb–May, grass Apr–Jul, ragweed Aug–Oct), 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 Tacoma today?

The allergy forecast is the airborne-pollen outlook that drives hay fever — exactly what this page tracks. Today's pollen level for Tacoma 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.

Tacoma, Washington Pollen Count & Allergy Forecast

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

Tacoma, WA · Pollen season

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

Based on the seasonal pollen calendar for this region.

Tacoma on the WeatherStory Allergy Index

Tacoma isn't one of the 100 metros on the WeatherStory Allergy Index, but the nearest ranked metro — Seattle, WA, about 27 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 · ~27 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 Tacoma 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 Feb–May
GrassOut of seasonpeaks Apr–Jul
Weed / RagweedIn seasonpeaks Aug–Oct

What pollinates near Tacoma

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

Trees

Alder Alnuspeaks February–March
Birch Betulapeaks March–April
Western red cedar Thuja plicatapeaks March–April
Douglas fir Pseudotsuga menziesiipeaks April–May
Oak Quercuspeaks April–May

Grasses

Perennial ryegrass Lolium perennepeaks May–July
Orchard grass Dactylis glomeratapeaks May–July
Timothy Phleum pratensepeaks June–July
Kentucky bluegrass Poa pratensispeaks May–June

Weeds

Common ragweed Ambrosia artemisiifoliapeaks August–September
Plantain Plantagopeaks June–August
Lamb's quarters Chenopodium albumpeaks July–September
Sheep sorrel Rumex acetosellapeaks May–July

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

Tacoma’s allergy year

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

JFMAMJJASOND

TreeFeb–May

GrassApr–Jul

RagweedAug–Oct

How Tacoma compares to the U.S. average

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

Tree~5 wks earlier

Grass~5 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 Tacoma’s pollen count works

The calendar above is tuned to Tacoma’s mild, wet Pacific Northwest 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 27 (early July), and ragweed from week 31 (early August) to week 40 (early October) here — a 274-day combined pollen season. Those windows are why ragweed pollen is the one in season in Tacoma right now.

No live count is wired up for Tacoma 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 Tacoma?: Tacoma runs the classic three-wave calendar: tree pollen Feb–May, grass Apr–Jul, then ragweed Aug–Oct. The two worst stretches are the spring tree peak and the late-summer ragweed peak. Currently, ragweed pollen is what's driving counts this month.
What's in the air in Tacoma right now?: In August, ragweed pollen is in season in Tacoma — 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 Tacoma's mild, wet Pacific Northwest climate.
Is tree or grass pollen higher in Tacoma in spring?: In spring, tree pollen leads in Tacoma — trees pollinate Feb–May, ahead of grass (Apr–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 Tacoma's pollen season distinctive?: Tacoma sits in the mild, wet Pacific Northwest zone, which means a mild, wet pattern in which a long grass season is usually the bigger problem than the early tree burst, and ragweed stays light. That shapes when symptoms hit and which allergen to watch.
How do I reduce pollen exposure in Tacoma?: Through Tacoma's peak windows (tree Feb–May, grass Apr–Jul, ragweed Aug–Oct), 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 Tacoma today?: The allergy forecast is the airborne-pollen outlook that drives hay fever — exactly what this page tracks. Today's pollen level for Tacoma 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 Tacoma’s pollen seasons — how counts are measured, when each type peaks, and what the numbers mean — see the pollen & allergy guides.

More for Tacoma

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