Jacksonville Pollen Count & Allergy Guide

Jacksonville gets one of Florida’s earliest and heaviest tree seasons. UF/IFAS notes the Florida pollen season starts in North Florida, and pine and oak coat everything in late winter and spring.

This page pairs today’s pollen forecast with Jacksonville’s own measured pollen count, from a National Allergy Bureau station at Edward Waters University. It also covers how the Beaches compare with inland neighborhoods and how to read the numbers.

Today’s top pollen: Weed pollen, moderate (3 of 5). 5-day forecast (includes pollen data from Google)

High-pollen months: Trees Feb–Apr · Grasses May–Aug · Weeds Sep (see the calendar below)

AAFA 2026 Allergy Capitals: No. 53 of 100 (No. 1 is the most challenging)

Allergists near me: Allergists in Jacksonville, FL

Today’s Jacksonville Pollen Forecast

The forecast below uses Google’s Universal Pollen Index, a 0 (none) to 5 (very high) rating for tree, grass and weed pollen. It is modeled at about 1-kilometer resolution, so it estimates pollen rather than measuring it (Google Maps Platform). For a measured count, see Jacksonville’s local pollen count below.

Jacksonville 5-Day Pollen Forecast

Today

Sun 11/8

Mon 11/9

Tue 11/10

Wed 11/11

Tree

1Very low

–Off season

Grass

–Off season

Weed

3Moderate

2Low

Universal Pollen Index, 0 (none) to 5 (very high). Updated Nov 7, 2:56 AM ET.

Source: Includes pollen data from Google

Jacksonville Pollen Calendar

Pollen calendar: pollen level by month
Pollen type	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Trees
Grasses
Weeds
Mold

Tap a square for that month’s details.

LLow
LMLow–moderate
MModerate
MHModerate–high
HHigh
VHVery high

Month-by-month notes

Jan Trees: Moderate (red cedar, red maple, early oak) · Grasses: Low · Weeds: Low · Mold: Low–moderate
Feb Trees: High (oak, pine, red maple, cedar) · Grasses: Low · Weeds: Low · Mold: Low–moderate
Mar Trees: Very high (oak, pine, sweetgum) · Grasses: Low–moderate · Weeds: Low · Mold: Moderate
Apr Trees: Very high (oak, pine) · Grasses: Moderate (Bahia starts) · Weeds: Low · Mold: Moderate
May Trees: Moderate (pine tapering) · Grasses: High (Bahia, Bermuda) · Weeds: Low–moderate · Mold: Moderate
Jun Trees: Low · Grasses: High (Bahia, Bermuda) · Weeds: Low–moderate · Mold: High
Jul Trees: Low · Grasses: High · Weeds: Low–moderate · Mold: High
Aug Trees: Low · Grasses: High · Weeds: Moderate (ragweed begins) · Mold: High
Sep Trees: Low · Grasses: Moderate–high · Weeds: High (ragweed, dog fennel) · Mold: High
Oct Trees: Low · Grasses: Moderate · Weeds: Moderate–high (ragweed) · Mold: Moderate–high
Nov Trees: Low · Grasses: Low · Weeds: Moderate (tapering after first cool snaps) · Mold: Moderate
Dec Trees: Low–moderate (cedar) · Grasses: Low · Weeds: Low · Mold: Low–moderate

General North Florida pattern based on UF/IFAS guidance: the season starts here first and pine and oak are heavy in late winter and spring. Levels shift with weather each year; check daily counts.

Jacksonville’s Local Pollen Count

Jacksonville has one of the few National Allergy Bureau (NAB) certified pollen counting stations in Florida. It sits at Edward Waters University on the city’s west side. A volumetric spore trap on the roof of a five-story dormitory pulls in air continuously, and the station head identifies and counts the pollen grains under a microscope using NAB methods (NSF Public Access Repository; News4JAX). News4JAX uses the station’s counts in its local pollen forecast, and the results are posted on the AAAAI NAB station page.

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 the measured count to see what has 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.

Pollen type	Low	Moderate	High	Very high
Trees	1–14	15–89	90–1,499	1,500+
Grasses	1–4	5–19	20–199	200+
Weeds	1–9	10–49	50–499	500+
Mold spores	1–6,499	6,500–12,999	13,000–49,999	50,000+

National Allergy Bureau scale, in grains (or spores) per cubic meter of air over 24 hours. Levels are percentiles across all NAB stations; your own threshold depends on what you’re sensitized to (Portnoy et al., Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology).

Jacksonville Beach and the Beaches

Living by the ocean does not make seasonal allergies go away. ACAAI notes that beach towns still have plenty of trees, grasses, weeds and mold, and pollen can travel far on the wind, with some types found up to 400 miles out to sea. Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach and Ponte Vedra Beach have the same seasons as the rest of Jacksonville: oak and pine in late winter and spring, grasses in summer, and ragweed in late summer and fall.

What changes at the coast is the wind. On warm days the land heats faster than the ocean, and a sea breeze blows onshore, 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 pine and oak, so some people with allergies feel better at the beach on those afternoons. A land breeze overnight and in the early morning, or a westerly wind on any day, carries inland pollen to the coast instead. There is no separate certified count for the Beaches, so use the Jacksonville count and forecast as a regional guide and check the wind direction.

How Jacksonville Ranks in AAFA’s 2026 Allergy Capitals

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) ranked Jacksonville No. 53 of 100 in its 2026 Allergy Capitals report. Its total score of 80.63 matches the 100-city average exactly. AAFA rated the metro area’s pollen score average, over-the-counter allergy medicine use worse than average, and access to allergy specialists average. AAFA’s 2026 rankings are based on 2025 pollen data.

Main Pollen Triggers

Trees

Oak (laurel and water oak) – the most common residential trees in Gainesville’s urban forest study and highly allergenic (UF/IFAS FR268).
Pine (loblolly, slash, spruce pine) – huge volumes of yellow pollen in late winter and spring, though rated less allergenic than oak.
Red maple and sweetgum – early-season North Florida trees common in yards (UF/IFAS FR268).
Eastern red cedar and wax myrtle – highly allergenic species noted by UF/IFAS.

Grasses

Bahiagrass, Bermudagrass and Johnsongrass – grasses ramp up in late spring and summer; winters are cool enough that grass pollen usually drops off.

Weeds

Ragweed – the most clinically significant weed, rising in late summer and fall. The Edward Waters University station also recorded ragweed pollen in late spring and early summer. Levels there rose from moderate in 2021 to high in 2023, a year of unusually high temperatures (NSF Public Access Repository).
Dog fennel and pigweed – other highly allergenic weeds; goldenrod is often blamed but its sticky pollen doesn’t travel well on the wind (UF/IFAS).

Mold

Florida’s hot, humid wet season (roughly late spring through early fall, per NOAA climate summaries) favors outdoor mold, which triggers symptoms similar to pollen.

Local Tips

Expect visible yellow pine dust by late winter; rinse it off cars, patios and pets before it’s tracked indoors.
A cold snap can delay tree pollen, and a mild winter can bring an earlier, longer season (UF/IFAS FR268).
Keep windows closed and run the A/C with a good filter during high-count days (UF Health).
Shower and change clothes after time outdoors; dry laundry in the dryer, not outside (UF/IFAS).
Rain washes pollen out of the air, so counts often drop after a storm; hot, dry, windy days push counts up (UF Health).
Check the measured count from Jacksonville’s Edward Waters University NAB station alongside the 5-day forecast on this page.
At the Beaches, plan outdoor time for afternoons with an onshore sea breeze. Mornings and days with a westerly (land-to-sea) wind can carry inland oak and pine pollen to the coast (NOAA; ACAAI).

When to See an Allergist

ACAAI suggests seeing an allergist when symptoms last for months, interfere with sleep, work or school, aren’t controlled by over-the-counter medicines, or come with asthma symptoms such as wheezing or shortness of breath. An allergist can test which Florida pollens you react to and discuss immunotherapy. Trouble breathing or swelling of the face or throat is an emergency – see seasonal allergy emergencies.

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What actually helps

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HEPA air purifier & filters

A portable HEPA purifier sized to the room can lower airborne particles such as pollen and dust; it only works if you replace filters on schedule. (EPA: Guide to Air Cleaners in the Home)

See the Levoit Core 300 on Amazon

Saline nasal rinse kit

Rinsing with saline can clear pollen from the nose; use distilled, sterile or boiled-then-cooled water, never plain tap water. (FDA: Is rinsing your sinuses with neti pots safe?)

See the NeilMed Sinus Rinse kit on Amazon

Dust-mite pillow & mattress covers

Allergists recommend zippered, allergen-proof encasings for pillows, mattresses and box springs, plus hot-water washing of bedding. (ACAAI: Dust Allergy)

See Hospitology zippered pillow encasements on Amazon

Frequently Asked Questions

When is allergy season in Jacksonville?

Tree pollen starts earliest here, often building in January–February and peaking in March–April with oak and pine. Grasses lead in summer and ragweed in early fall.

Is pine pollen the cause of my Jacksonville allergies?

Pine pollen is the most visible, but it’s rated less allergenic than oak, which pollinates at the same time. Oak is often the real culprit (UF/IFAS).

What is the pollen count in Jacksonville today?

This page shows today’s pollen forecast for Jacksonville (tree, grass and weed, 0–5 scale) and the next four days. For a measured count, check the National Allergy Bureau station at Edward Waters University on the AAAAI site, or the News4JAX pollen forecast, which uses that station’s counts. Counts change daily with wind and rain.

What do Jacksonville pollen count numbers mean?

Counts are grains of pollen per cubic meter of air. On the NAB scale, tree pollen is high from 90 and very high from 1,500. Grass pollen is high from just 20, and weed pollen is high from 50.

Is pollen lower at Jacksonville Beach?

Sometimes, but not reliably. An onshore afternoon sea breeze brings air in from over the ocean, and some people feel better then. But beach neighborhoods still have trees, grasses and weeds, and westerly winds carry inland pollen to the coast. ACAAI says living near the ocean doesn’t reduce seasonal allergies.

When should I see an allergist in Jacksonville?

If symptoms last for months, disrupt sleep or work, don’t respond to over-the-counter medicines, or come with wheezing, a board-certified allergist can test which local pollens you react to and discuss treatment (ACAAI).

Nearby cities

Products that help

More Florida Guides

More allergy guides for Jacksonville

Guides that fit this area’s pollen season.

Sources

This page is for general information only and is not medical advice. Talk with your doctor or a board-certified allergist about your symptoms and treatment.

Need a specialist? See our list of allergists in Jacksonville.