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Real-time pollen data for Austin — updated daily. Powered by board-certified allergists.
Mountain cedar is Austin's most notorious allergen and the defining feature of Central Texas allergy life. Ashe juniper trees are the dominant species west of I-35, with roughly 12 trees for every Austin resident. They make up about a third of Austin's tree canopy. Unlike most trees that pollinate in spring, mountain cedar releases pollen in winter — triggered by cold fronts that cause rapid changes in temperature and barometric pressure. When a cold front arrives, millions of Ashe junipers release pollen simultaneously, producing visible clouds that resemble yellow smoke drifting from the Hill Country.
Cedar pollen isn't necessarily more allergenic than other pollen types, but the sheer volume overwhelms the immune system. A single male Ashe juniper can release up to a billion pollen grains. The pollen is so concentrated that it affects even people who don't typically suffer from allergies. Cedar fever symptoms include severe congestion, incessant sneezing, itchy and burning eyes, sore throat, headache, and debilitating fatigue. About a quarter of allergy patients in Austin test positive for cedar allergy, and newcomers to Austin often develop the allergy within a few years of moving.
As cedar fever subsides in late February, oak pollen takes over immediately — creating the notorious cedar-to-oak handoff that gives Central Texas residents no break between winter and spring allergies. Live oak is the dominant spring allergen, producing massive pollen loads that coat cars, sidewalks, and outdoor surfaces in yellow-green dust. Oak peaks from late March through early April. Elm, ash, pecan, cottonwood, poplar, mulberry, and pine trees add to the spring pollen load. Pecan pollen peaks from late April through early May.
Bermuda grass is Austin's primary grass allergen, with the season beginning in March and peaking from May through June. Grass pollen is present through September. Austin's extensive greenbelts, parks, and the expansive lawns throughout suburban neighborhoods in Cedar Park, Round Rock, Pflugerville, and Georgetown produce concentrated grass pollen. Wild grass along highways, vacant lots, and the surrounding Hill Country ranchland adds to the load.
Ragweed peaks in October and can produce potent pollen through November. Ragweed plants grow taller than a person in Central Texas and produce massive quantities of lightweight pollen. Mugwort, pigweed, sagebrush, and lamb's quarters contribute additional fall weed pollen. The fall weed season creates a brief but intense allergy period before mountain cedar returns in December — meaning Austin residents get only a few weeks of relative relief in late November before the cycle restarts.
Mold thrives in Austin's humid subtropical climate, with spore counts elevated during humid periods and after rainfall. Central Texas's rapid growth has created large areas of construction disturbance where mold can colonize quickly. Indoor allergens — dust mites, pet dander, and cockroach allergens — are present year-round, with indoor exposure intensifying during winter when homes are sealed against cedar season and during summer when AC runs continuously.
This is Austin's most infamous and intense allergy period. Mountain cedar (Ashe juniper) pollen dominates from mid-December through late February, with counts peaking in mid-January when levels can reach into the thousands of grains per cubic meter. Cedar pollen release is triggered by cold fronts — immediately before and after a front, when conditions become dry and windy with rapid pressure changes, pollen cones open and release their contents. Austin's position at the eastern edge of the Hill Country, where dense stands of Ashe juniper cover the landscape west of I-35, puts the city directly in the path of cedar pollen drifting eastward on prevailing winds.
Top allergens: Mountain cedar (Ashe juniper), indoor dust mites, pet dander
Severity: Very high (cedar) — Austin's most severe allergy period
Tip: Cedar fever is not the flu. If you get debilitating congestion, fatigue, and sore throat every January that correlates with weather fronts and resolves on rainy days, it's cedar allergy. Start premedication in November before counts rise. KXAN's PollenSense automated counter provides real-time cedar data for Central Texas.
As cedar wanes in late February, oak pollen surges in March — creating a seamless handoff that extends Central Texas's allergy misery without interruption. Live oak peaks from late March through early April, with pollen so thick it coats every outdoor surface. Ash, elm, pecan, mulberry, cottonwood, and pine trees contribute through May. Pecan pollen peaks from late April through early May. Early grass pollen begins overlapping with tree pollen by late March.
Top allergens: Oak (dominant), ash, elm, pecan, mulberry, cottonwood, early grass
Severity: High to very high
Tip: The cedar-to-oak handoff means there's no break between winter and spring allergies in Austin. If you're multi-sensitized to both cedar and oak, your allergy season effectively runs from December through May — six continuous months. Comprehensive immunotherapy targeting both allergens is the only way to address this overlap.
Bermuda grass pollen peaks in May and June, then gradually declines through summer. Austin's intense summer heat (regularly exceeding 100°F) actually reduces some outdoor allergen activity as grasses go dormant in the worst heat. Mold can spike after summer thunderstorms. Indoor allergens become a factor as residents spend extended time in air-conditioned environments. Summer is Austin's most comfortable allergy season for most people, though grass-sensitive individuals still struggle through June.
Top allergens: Bermuda grass, mold spores after rain, indoor allergens
Severity: Moderate (declining through summer)
Tip: Austin's brutal summer heat keeps many people indoors under AC, which can concentrate indoor allergens. Replace AC filters monthly during summer and consider HEPA air purifiers in bedrooms and home offices.
Ragweed peaks in October with tall plants producing potent pollen. Mugwort, pigweed, and sagebrush contribute. The period from mid-November through early December — after ragweed dies back but before cedar ramps up — is Austin's only brief allergy relief window. Mold remains elevated from decomposing fall vegetation.
Top allergens: Ragweed (dominant), mugwort, pigweed, sagebrush, mold
Severity: Moderate to high
Tip: Late November is your only true allergy break in Austin. Use this window to start HeyPak® sublingual immunotherapy so you're building tolerance before cedar season hits in December.
Cedar fever is Austin's most debilitating allergy, and its flu-like symptoms — severe congestion, fatigue, sore throat, headache, body aches — cause many residents to assume they're sick. The key distinction: cedar fever symptoms correlate with cold fronts (worsening after fronts pass when conditions are dry and windy), improve on rainy days, produce clear mucus (not colored), and can last weeks or months rather than resolving in 7–10 days like a viral infection. Cedar fever coincides with cold and flu season, making self-diagnosis tricky. If you're unsure, see a board-certified allergist for definitive testing.
Austin has one of the most advanced pollen monitoring systems in the country. KXAN operates a PollenSense automated pollen sampling machine that provides updated counts every minute using artificial intelligence to identify different allergens. This is far more timely than traditional pollen stations that update once daily. Check cedar counts during winter and oak counts during spring before planning outdoor activities. Cold fronts are the trigger for cedar pollen release — watch weather forecasts and premedicate 24 hours before a front arrives.
Austin's most challenging feature for multi-sensitized allergy sufferers is the seamless transition from cedar season (December–February) to oak season (March–May). There is no gap between these two major allergen periods. If you're allergic to both cedar and oak — which is common in Central Texas — your allergy season effectively runs six continuous months from December through May. Starting sublingual immunotherapy in summer or early fall targeting both cedar and oak is the most effective strategy for breaking this cycle.
Ashe juniper forests are concentrated west of I-35, in the Texas Hill Country. This means residents of West Austin, Lakeway, Bee Cave, Dripping Springs, and Westlake Hills generally experience higher cedar pollen concentrations than those living east of I-35 in areas like East Austin, Pflugerville, or Manor. However, cedar pollen travels easily on wind, so no part of the Austin metro is truly cedar-free. If you're highly cedar-sensitive, living east of I-35 may slightly reduce your peak exposure, but it won't eliminate it.
Mid-November through early December is Austin's only approximate break from outdoor allergens — the narrow gap between ragweed dying back and cedar ramping up. This window may be only 2–4 weeks in some years. Use it strategically: schedule outdoor projects, deep-clean your home to remove accumulated allergens, and if you're starting immunotherapy, this is the ideal time to begin building tolerance before the cycle restarts.
With year-round allergies, a six-month cedar-to-oak stretch, and one of the highest cedar pollen concentrations in the world, managing Austin allergies with OTC medications alone is a losing battle. HeyAllergy's board-certified allergists can identify your specific triggers and create a personalized HeyPak® sublingual immunotherapy plan targeting the Central Texas allergens causing your symptoms. Most patients notice improvement within 3–6 months. Book a telemedicine consultation from anywhere in the Austin metro — no clinic visit needed, no waitlist.
January (peak cedar fever), late March through early April (peak oak), and October (peak ragweed). Cedar season from December through February is Austin's most severe and distinctive allergy period. With the cedar-to-oak handoff, many residents experience continuous high-severity symptoms from December through May.
Cedar fever is an intense allergic reaction to pollen from the Ashe juniper (mountain cedar) tree. It causes debilitating symptoms including severe congestion, sneezing, sore throat, headache, and fatigue. Despite the name, cedar fever does not cause a true fever. It's triggered by cold fronts that cause millions of Ashe junipers to release pollen simultaneously, producing visible pollen clouds across the Hill Country.
Austin sits at the eastern edge of the Hill Country, home to dense Ashe juniper forests. There are roughly 12 Ashe juniper trees for every Austin resident, and they make up about a third of the city's tree canopy. The sheer volume of pollen — a single tree can release up to a billion grains — overwhelms the immune system. Cedar fever affects even people who don't normally have allergies.
Yes. HeyAllergy provides telemedicine appointments with board-certified allergists licensed in Texas. You can book a virtual consultation, have allergy blood tests ordered at a local lab, receive a diagnosis, and start treatment — all without visiting a clinic. No waitlist.
HeyAllergy's HeyPak® sublingual immunotherapy drops are customized based on your allergy blood test and formulated with allergens specific to the Central Texas region — including mountain cedar, oak, elm, pecan, Bermuda grass, ragweed, dust mites, and mold. You place drops under your tongue daily at home. Over 3–6 months, your immune system builds tolerance, reducing symptoms and medication dependence.
HeyAllergy accepts Medicare and most major PPO health plans, including United Healthcare, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Cigna, Aetna, Humana, Oscar, and Tricare. Telemedicine benefits vary by plan — contact your insurance provider with HeyAllergy's Tax ID (85-0834175) to confirm your specific coverage.
Yes. Cedar fills December through February, oak and trees dominate March through May, grass covers summer, and ragweed takes fall. The only approximate relief window is a 2–4 week period in mid-November through early December between ragweed dying back and cedar starting. Indoor allergens persist year-round.
HeyAllergy has no waitlist. You can book an online appointment at a time that works for you and see a board-certified allergist via secure video consultation — typically within days, not weeks. Available for residents throughout the Austin metro including Cedar Park, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Georgetown, Lakeway, Bee Cave, and San Marcos.
Austin is synonymous with cedar fever. While cities across the country suffer from spring and fall allergies, Austin's most severe allergy period occurs in winter — a nearly unique phenomenon among major American cities. Mountain cedar, officially known as Ashe juniper (Juniperus ashei), is the culprit. These trees blanket the Texas Hill Country west of I-35 and make up roughly a third of Austin's urban tree canopy, with an estimated 12 trees per resident. When cold fronts arrive, rapid pressure and temperature changes trigger millions of these trees to release pollen simultaneously, producing visible clouds that drift eastward over Austin.
The sheer concentration of pollen is staggering. A single male Ashe juniper can release up to a billion pollen grains. Texas A&M Forest Service ecologists note that the pollen isn't necessarily more allergenic than other types — it's the overwhelming volume that causes the immune system to react. Cedar fever affects even people with no prior history of allergies, and about a quarter of allergy patients in Austin test positive for cedar sensitivity. For the city's 1.02 million residents, cedar season from December through February defines the local allergy experience.
What makes Austin's allergy calendar uniquely punishing is the seamless transition from one major allergen to the next. Cedar fever peaks in mid-January and tapers through February. But by late February and early March, live oak pollen surges immediately — there is no break between the two. Oak pollen peaks from late March through early April, coating every outdoor surface in Central Texas with yellow-green dust. Ash, elm, pecan, mulberry, and cottonwood trees extend tree pollen through May.
For residents sensitized to both cedar and oak — which is common — the allergy season runs continuously from December through May: six months of high-severity symptoms. This cedar-to-oak handoff is a defining feature of Central Texas allergies that distinguishes Austin from virtually every other major metro in the country.
Austin allergists and ecologists recognize I-35 as an approximate dividing line for cedar exposure. The dense Ashe juniper forests of the Hill Country are concentrated west of the interstate, meaning residents of Westlake Hills, Lakeway, Bee Cave, Dripping Springs, and the neighborhoods along Loop 360 (Capital of Texas Highway) experience the highest cedar pollen concentrations. East of I-35 — in areas like East Austin, Pflugerville, Manor, and Hutto — concentrations are lower but still significant because cedar pollen travels easily on wind.
This creates hyperlocal allergy differences across the metro. A resident in Lakeway may experience dramatically higher cedar counts than someone in Pflugerville, even though both are within the Austin metro. Understanding your position relative to the I-35 cedar line helps explain why your symptoms may differ from a neighbor's or coworker's.
Austin's rapid population growth over the past two decades has transformed former ranchland and Hill Country terrain into dense suburban development in Cedar Park, Round Rock, Georgetown, Pflugerville, and Buda. This development has paradoxically both reduced some cedar habitat (through clearing) and increased the allergen interface — new residents are now living directly adjacent to remaining Ashe juniper stands rather than miles away on open rangeland. Construction disturbance also increases airborne dust and creates conditions for mold colonization.
New residents to Austin frequently develop cedar allergies within their first few years. Greater Austin Allergy practitioners report that newcomers who initially feel immune to cedar fever often become sensitized after repeated exposure seasons. If you've moved to Austin recently and haven't experienced cedar symptoms yet, allergists recommend proactive testing rather than waiting for sensitization to develop.
Austin's identity is built around outdoor living — from the Barton Creek Greenbelt and Lady Bird Lake hike-and-bike trail to Zilker Park and the extensive trail systems throughout the Hill Country. Major events like Austin City Limits Music Festival (October — ragweed peak), South by Southwest (March — oak pollen surge), and countless outdoor dining patios mean residents are regularly exposed to elevated allergens during their daily lives and cultural activities.
This outdoor-centric culture makes allergies more than a medical nuisance in Austin — they directly impact the lifestyle that draws people to the city. Managing allergies effectively isn't just about comfort but about being able to fully participate in what makes Austin unique.
Austin's traffic has grown alongside its population. MoPac (Loop 1), I-35, Highway 183, and Loop 360 are regularly congested, and getting from Round Rock or Buda to a specialist's office can consume hours. Traditional allergy clinics in Austin often have significant wait times for new patients, particularly during peak cedar and spring allergy seasons when demand surges.
HeyAllergy eliminates these barriers. Residents from downtown Austin to Cedar Park to Georgetown to Lakeway to San Marcos can see a board-certified allergist from home via secure video consultation. Blood allergy tests can be ordered to a convenient local lab, and a personalized treatment plan — including HeyPak® sublingual immunotherapy drops formulated for Central Texas's unique allergen profile — can begin without a single in-person visit. No needles, no MoPac traffic, no waitlist.
If cedar fever knocks you out every January, if the cedar-to-oak handoff means you're symptomatic from December through May, if you've recently moved to Austin and are developing new allergy symptoms, if OTC medications aren't controlling your symptoms through Austin's year-round allergy calendar, if ragweed makes ACL season miserable, if you live west of I-35 and experience intense winter symptoms, or if you have both allergies and asthma, it's time to see a board-certified allergist.
HeyAllergy accepts Medicare and most major PPO health plans, making expert allergy care accessible for residents throughout the greater Austin metro.
