New York, NY Pollen Levels Today

New York City presents a challenging allergy environment shaped by its humid continental climate, dense urban landscape, and four distinct seasons, each bringing its own pollen burden.

Tree pollen kicks off the allergy calendar in early spring, typically from mid-March through May, with oak, birch, maple, cedar, elm, and London plane—widely planted along city streets and in parks like Central Park—serving as the dominant offenders.

As trees taper off, grass pollen takes over from May through July, driven largely by timothy, Kentucky bluegrass, orchard grass, and ryegrass found in lawns, parks, and the surrounding suburbs.

Late summer into fall ushers in weed season, running from August through October, with ragweed as the primary culprit alongside mugwort, lamb's quarters, and pigweed; ragweed pollen can travel for miles on regional winds, intensifying exposure even in Manhattan.

Overlap between late tree and early grass seasons in May, as well as lingering grasses meeting early ragweed in August, can amplify symptoms.

Non-pollen triggers are significant year-round, including indoor and outdoor mold spores thriving in the region's humidity, dust mites in older housing stock, cockroach allergens, and high levels of traffic-related air pollution.

Overall, New York's allergy profile is defined by prolonged, overlapping pollen seasons compounded by urban pollution and humidity-driven mold.