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Ragweed pollen alarm in Vienna: Allergy sufferers must prepare for maximum levels!
Warning of high ragweed pollen levels in Vienna from August 27, 2025; Health risks due to climate change and allergies are increasing.
Ragweed pollen alarm in Vienna: Allergy sufferers must prepare for maximum levels!
From this week onwards, allergy sufferers in Vienna will have to prepare for high exposure to ragweed pollen. According to a recent warning from the MedUni Vienna and GeoSphere Austria, the flowering of Ambrosia artemisiifolia is reaching its first peak of the season. The first effects of the ragweed bloom were already detected on Tuesday, August 26th, and the pollen concentration is classified as “heavy” throughout the city, which is the second highest value on the warning scale.
For today, August 27, the weather service forecasts a moderately freshening southeast to south wind, which will further increase the increase in ragweed pollen concentrations. Strong irritation is to be expected, particularly in the eastern flatlands as well as in the south and southeast of Vienna. GeoSphere expects record pollen concentration levels tomorrow that have not yet occurred this season.
Ragweed: A Source of Health Problems
The trend towards an increase in ragweed allergies is clearly visible. Over 33 million people in Europe suffered from ragweed-caused allergies, according to 2022 surveys. What's shocking is that this number could rise to an estimated 77 million by 2060. Climate change is contributing significantly to the spread of ragweed and similar plants. The extended flowering period and the increased CO₂ concentrations promote the growth of these allergy-causing plants.
The effects of climate change on the immune system should not be underestimated. As in an article from NCBI carried out, climate change and air pollutants cause or exacerbate respiratory diseases such as allergic rhinitis and asthma. Both the increased temperatures and air pollutants play a central role here. Fine dust and heavy metals in the air can increase the allergenic potency of pollen and intensify allergic reactions.
The future is worrying
With global temperatures increasing and extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change, we can expect longer and more intense pollen seasons. According to reports from healthy.bund.de The five warmest years since 1880 were recorded between 2015 and 2019. These climate changes are causing many non-native plant species to gain a foothold in Europe, including ragweed, which is considered to be a strong allergy-causing plant.
The health consequences are worrying: allergies, hay fever and asthma are spreading and could affect half of the world's population by 2050, according to estimates. There is a need for decisive action to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions so that the future does not become even more unbearable for allergy sufferers.
In Vienna, those affected should exercise particular caution: a good hand in planning time and avoiding pollen during the peak flowering period can help alleviate the symptoms.