What you will see on a forecast
On supported locations in Europe, the verdict row may show a Pollen tile instead of daylight hours during pollen season. Tap it for a breakdown by type — grass, birch, alder and mugwort — with grains per cubic metre and a severity label: Mild, Moderate, High or Very high.
The tile reflects this hour only. The drying forecast itself does not change when pollen rises later in the day; we show today's peak in the panel for context.
Why it matters for laundry
Pollen is lightweight. It settles on fabric hung outside — especially large flat surfaces like sheets, towels and T-shirts worn close to your nose. That will not stop cotton drying, but it can mean bedding and clothes pick up allergens you notice when you go to bed or get dressed.
The Met Office notes that hay-fever symptoms often begin once pollen exceeds about 50 grains/m³ (as a daily average). Our bands are tuned for that symptom line on grass and mugwort, with separate thresholds for tree pollen such as birch and alder, where counts are typically higher before the same level of symptoms.
Severity bands (UK-style, by type)
Grass & mugwort
- Mild — below 50 grains/m³
- Moderate — 50–100
- High — 101–150
- Very high — 151+
Birch & alder (tree)
- Mild — below 40
- Moderate — 40–79
- High — 80–199
- Very high — 200+
The tile colour follows the worst type this hour, not simply the highest raw number. Birch at 85 grains/m³ is High on tree bands even if grass at 47 is only Moderate.
Does pollen change my drying score?
No. Pollen is advisory only. Humidity, wind, temperature, rain risk and daylight still drive the 0–100 drying score and the Yes / No / Wait headline. We added pollen because many people use this app at the same moment they are deciding whether to hang washing out — and hay fever is part of that decision for a lot of households.
Tips if you are pollen-sensitive
- Know your trigger. Grass peaks in summer; birch and alder are mainly a spring problem. Check which row is worst in the panel — not everyone reacts to every type.
- Prioritise bedding and towels indoors on High or Very high hours. They have the biggest contact area and sit closest to your face at night.
- Bring washing in promptly after it is dry on Moderate days — pollen continues to drift onto the line while it hangs out.
- Use the hourly chart for timing. Pollen often builds through the morning and peaks on warm, dry afternoons. A good drying window is not always a good pollen window.
- Shake and fold inside when you can, especially on breezy high-pollen days when grains blow onto fabric from neighbouring gardens and fields.
- Zero on birch or alder? That usually means tree season has passed or not started — we still list all types so you can see the full picture.
Data source and limits
Pollen forecasts come from the Open-Meteo Air Quality API, using Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) model data at roughly 11 km resolution. Coverage is Europe only, and values appear during pollen season when CAMS publishes them — typically up to a few days ahead.
This is a laundry and weather guide, not medical advice. If you manage severe hay fever or asthma, follow your clinician or pharmacist's plan — and treat our pollen tile as one extra signal, not a diagnosis.
More questions — see the FAQ · Drying indoors