Fort Myers & Cape Coral Pollen & Allergy Guide

Where to Find a Fort Myers Pollen Count

Lee County does not have a National Allergy Bureau (NAB) certified pollen counting station. As of November 2026, the AAAAI NAB station map lists two in Florida: Edward Waters University in Jacksonville and the University of South Florida in Tampa, about 100 miles north of Fort Myers. At certified stations, a rooftop sampler collects airborne particles over 24 hours, and the sample is analyzed for pollen types and concentration (AAAAI).

Tampa’s count is a useful regional guide to when oak, pine and grass seasons start and peak on Florida’s Gulf Coast (see our Tampa pollen guide), but it is not a local measurement. Most apps and websites that show a “Fort Myers pollen count” are showing a modeled estimate, like the forecast on this page, rather than a sample taken in Lee County.

Pollen Count vs. Pollen Index

A pollen count is a measurement: grains of pollen per cubic meter of air, sampled over a past period, usually 24 hours. A pollen index like the 0–5 forecast above is a model’s estimate for today and the next few days. The two can disagree, especially on windy or rainy days. Use the forecast to plan ahead, and your own symptoms plus the nearest measured count to see what has actually been in the air.

NAB levels differ by pollen type. A “high” grass day starts at just 20 grains per cubic meter, while trees need 90, so you can’t compare a grass number to an oak or pine number directly.

Cape Coral Pollen and Allergies

Cape Coral sits across the Caloosahatchee River from Fort Myers and shares the same pollen seasons: oak, pine and melaleuca in late winter and spring, Bahia and Bermuda grasses through the long warm season, and ragweed in late summer and fall. The forecast on this page covers both cities. The City of Cape Coral says it has more than 400 miles of canals, many with direct access to the river and the Gulf. That much open water adds humidity and damp seawalls, docks and yards, which favor outdoor mold.

On warm days the land heats faster than the water, and a sea breeze blows in from the Gulf, usually from late morning into the afternoon. At night the flow often reverses into a land breeze (NOAA). Air arriving on a sea breeze has crossed open water rather than inland trees, so waterfront Cape Coral, Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel can feel better on those afternoons. Overnight land breezes and easterly winds carry inland pollen to the coast instead. In the wet season, the sea breeze also helps set off the afternoon thunderstorms that wash pollen out of the air and then raise mold levels (National Weather Service Tampa Bay).

Red Tide Is Not Pollen, but It Can Feel Like Allergies

Florida red tide, a bloom of the alga Karenia brevis, occurs nearly every year along the Southwest Florida Gulf Coast. Its toxins become airborne in sea spray and can cause coughing, sneezing, and itchy, watery eyes at the beach, with the greatest risk when red tide is present and winds blow onshore or alongshore (NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science). People with asthma are most affected: in one study, asthma symptoms and lung function had not returned to baseline days after a single hour at a beach during an active red tide (Fleming et al., Environmental Health).

Red tide does not show up in pollen forecasts or counts. If your symptoms flare at the beach but not inland, check NOAA’s Gulf Coast red tide respiratory forecast for Lee County beaches before you go.

Mold After Storms and Flooding

Hurricane Ian made landfall on Cayo Costa in Lee County on September 28, 2022, as a Category 4 storm, and pushed catastrophic storm surge into Fort Myers Beach and nearby communities (National Hurricane Center). Flooding of any size can leave mold behind. CDC advises cleaning and drying wet areas and belongings within 24 to 48 hours, and treating anything that stayed wet longer as possibly moldy. Mold-allergic people should avoid doing heavy cleanup themselves or wear a well-fitted N95 respirator.

How Fort Myers and Cape Coral Rank in AAFA’s 2026 Allergy Capitals

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) ranked the Cape Coral–Fort Myers metro area (listed as Cape Coral, FL) No. 39 of 100 in its 2026 Allergy Capitals report, where a lower number means a more challenging place to live with allergies. Its total score of 84.91 is above the 100-city average of 80.63. AAFA rated the area average on all three factors: pollen, over-the-counter allergy medicine use and access to allergy specialists. AAFA’s 2026 rankings are based on 2025 pollen data.