When is pollen worst in Colorado Springs?

Colorado Springs runs the classic three-wave calendar: tree pollen Mar–May, grass May–Jul, then ragweed Aug–Oct. The two worst stretches are the spring tree peak and the late-summer ragweed peak. Currently, ragweed pollen is what's driving counts this month.

What's in the air in Colorado Springs right now?

In August, ragweed pollen is in season in Colorado Springs — the dominant allergen you're likely reacting to right now. A live count, when available, confirms the day's actual reading; this reflects the typical peak windows for Colorado Springs's high-elevation Mountain West climate.

Is tree or grass pollen higher in Colorado Springs in spring?

In spring, tree pollen leads in Colorado Springs — trees pollinate Mar–May, ahead of grass (May–Jul). The handoff is the tail of the tree window: tree counts taper as grass climbs, so an early-spring flare is more likely tree pollen and a late-spring one more likely grass.

What makes Colorado Springs's pollen season distinctive?

Colorado Springs sits in the high-elevation Mountain West zone, which means short, sharp seasons set late by elevation, with sagebrush adding to the late-summer weed load. That shapes when symptoms hit and which allergen to watch.

How do I reduce pollen exposure in Colorado Springs?

Through Colorado Springs's peak windows (tree Mar–May, grass May–Jul, ragweed Aug–Oct), keep windows shut and run AC on recirculate; counts run highest on dry, warm, windy mornings, so push outdoor activity to late afternoon or just after rain, which clears pollen from the air. A HEPA purifier indoors, a saline rinse after being outside, showering before bed, and starting antihistamines a week or two before your worst local window all measurably cut symptoms.

What pollen index counts as high?

Pollen is reported on a categorical scale — None, Low, Moderate, High, and Very High. "High" and above means most allergy sufferers notice symptoms even with brief outdoor exposure, and sensitized people should limit time outside and pre-medicate. "Low" to "Moderate" usually only affects highly sensitive individuals.

What is the allergy forecast in Colorado Springs today?

The allergy forecast is the airborne-pollen outlook that drives hay fever — exactly what this page tracks. Today's pollen level for Colorado Springs is shown above, broken into the tree, grass, and ragweed pollen behind most seasonal allergies. When the reading is High or Very High, plan for symptoms and pre-medicate; the seasonal calendar below shows which allergen leads in each part of the year.

Colorado Springs, Colorado Pollen Count & Allergy Forecast

Colorado Springs pollen count and allergy forecast — tree, grass, and ragweed seasons and what’s pollinating now

Colorado Springs, CO · Pollen season

In August, ragweed pollen is in season in Colorado Springs — the dominant allergen you're likely reacting to right now.

Based on the seasonal pollen calendar for this region.

Colorado Springs on the WeatherStory Allergy Index

Colorado Springs ranks #75 of 100 U.S. metros on the WeatherStory Allergy Index, with a modeled load index of 33 and a 274-day combined pollen season — its heaviest load is tree pollen, running 122 days.

#75of 100

Load index: 33
Combined season: 274 days
Heaviest load: Tree · 122 days

See the full 100 worst U.S. cities for pollen — a modeled seasonal load ranking (see methodology).

Typical now — Augustseasonal estimate, not a live reading

Ragweed pollen typically leads in Colorado Springs this time of year, at an estimated Moderate level. No live count is wired up; this reflects the seasonal calendar.

Pollen by type this season

TreeOut of seasonpeaks Mar–May
GrassOut of seasonpeaks May–Jul
Weed / RagweedIn seasonpeaks Aug–Oct

What pollinates near Colorado Springs

The tree, grass, and weed species that drive Colorado Springs’s pollen seasons, with each plant’s typical peak.

Trees

Juniper Juniperuspeaks March–April
Cottonwood Populuspeaks March–April
Aspen Populus tremuloidespeaks April–May
Ponderosa pine Pinus ponderosapeaks May–June
Box elder Acer negundopeaks March–April

Grasses

Kentucky bluegrass Poa pratensispeaks May–July
Smooth brome Bromus inermispeaks May–July
Timothy Phleum pratensepeaks June–July
Orchard grass Dactylis glomeratapeaks June–July

Weeds

Sagebrush Artemisia tridentatapeaks August–September
Common ragweed Ambrosia artemisiifoliapeaks August–September
Russian thistle Salsola traguspeaks August–September
Kochia Bassia scopariapeaks August–September

Species are the region’s common wind-pollinated plants; peak months are a seasonal estimate, not a measured count — see methodology.

Colorado Springs’s allergy year

Typical month-by-month pollen intensity for Colorado Springs, tuned to its latitude and climate region — darker means higher typical counts. The highlighted column is the current month.

JFMAMJJASOND

TreeFeb–May

GrassApr–Jul

RagweedAug–Oct

How Colorado Springs compares to the U.S. average

Each colored bar is Colorado Springs’s typical season against the national-average window (grey). The offset is the per-city timing shift.

Treeabout average

Grassabout average

Ragweedabout average

“U.S. average” is the textbook tree Mar–May, grass May–Jul, ragweed Aug–Oct calendar. The shift is a phenology estimate (Hopkins’ bioclimatic law), not a measured count — see methodology.

How Colorado Springs’s pollen count works

The calendar above is tuned to Colorado Springs’s high-elevation Mountain West climate, not a national average: tree pollen runs from week 5 (early February) to week 18 (early May), grass from week 14 (early April) to week 27 (early July), and ragweed from week 31 (early August) to week 40 (early October) here — a 274-day combined pollen season. Those windows are why ragweed pollen is the one in season in Colorado Springs right now.

No live count is wired up for Colorado Springs today, so the seasonal calendar above is your guide to which allergen is in season. Counts run highest on warm, dry, windy mornings and drop after rain, which washes pollen out of the air — reported on the None / Low / Moderate / High / Very High scale.

Frequently asked

When is pollen worst in Colorado Springs?: Colorado Springs runs the classic three-wave calendar: tree pollen Mar–May, grass May–Jul, then ragweed Aug–Oct. The two worst stretches are the spring tree peak and the late-summer ragweed peak. Currently, ragweed pollen is what's driving counts this month.
What's in the air in Colorado Springs right now?: In August, ragweed pollen is in season in Colorado Springs — the dominant allergen you're likely reacting to right now. A live count, when available, confirms the day's actual reading; this reflects the typical peak windows for Colorado Springs's high-elevation Mountain West climate.
Is tree or grass pollen higher in Colorado Springs in spring?: In spring, tree pollen leads in Colorado Springs — trees pollinate Mar–May, ahead of grass (May–Jul). The handoff is the tail of the tree window: tree counts taper as grass climbs, so an early-spring flare is more likely tree pollen and a late-spring one more likely grass.
What makes Colorado Springs's pollen season distinctive?: Colorado Springs sits in the high-elevation Mountain West zone, which means short, sharp seasons set late by elevation, with sagebrush adding to the late-summer weed load. That shapes when symptoms hit and which allergen to watch.
How do I reduce pollen exposure in Colorado Springs?: Through Colorado Springs's peak windows (tree Mar–May, grass May–Jul, ragweed Aug–Oct), keep windows shut and run AC on recirculate; counts run highest on dry, warm, windy mornings, so push outdoor activity to late afternoon or just after rain, which clears pollen from the air. A HEPA purifier indoors, a saline rinse after being outside, showering before bed, and starting antihistamines a week or two before your worst local window all measurably cut symptoms.
What pollen index counts as high?: Pollen is reported on a categorical scale — None, Low, Moderate, High, and Very High. "High" and above means most allergy sufferers notice symptoms even with brief outdoor exposure, and sensitized people should limit time outside and pre-medicate. "Low" to "Moderate" usually only affects highly sensitive individuals.
What is the allergy forecast in Colorado Springs today?: The allergy forecast is the airborne-pollen outlook that drives hay fever — exactly what this page tracks. Today's pollen level for Colorado Springs is shown above, broken into the tree, grass, and ragweed pollen behind most seasonal allergies. When the reading is High or Very High, plan for symptoms and pre-medicate; the seasonal calendar below shows which allergen leads in each part of the year.

Pollen & allergy guides

For the science behind Colorado Springs’s pollen seasons — how counts are measured, when each type peaks, and what the numbers mean — see the pollen & allergy guides.

More for Colorado Springs

See the full Colorado Springs, CO weather forecast — hour-by-hour outlook, NOAA radar, satellite, and air quality.