Córdoba Braces for High Pollen Levels: Allergy Season Starts Early
- Spring hasn’t officially arrived, but rising temperatures and recent rainfall are signaling an early and potentially intense pollen season across Spain, putting allergy sufferers on alert.
- Currently, shade plantain pollen presence in Córdoba remains low to very low, but this is predicted to change rapidly.
- Urticaceae (nettles) are also contributing to pollen counts, with a moderate presence across the province, though some areas still report low intensity.
Spring hasn’t officially arrived, but rising temperatures and recent rainfall are signaling an early and potentially intense pollen season across Spain, putting allergy sufferers on alert. The Spanish Aerobiology Network indicates that shade plantain pollen levels are expected to reach “high” levels next week, particularly in the Guadalquivir Valley and throughout much of the province of Córdoba.
Currently, shade plantain pollen presence in Córdoba remains low to very low, but this is predicted to change rapidly. Alongside shade plantain, cypress pollen is also increasing, currently at moderate levels but projected to rise to high levels in southern, northern, and central areas of the province next week.
Urticaceae (nettles) are also contributing to pollen counts, with a moderate presence across the province, though some areas still report low intensity. Grasses, holm oaks, and olive trees currently show low pollen levels in Córdoba, but this is expected to change as the season progresses.
Nationally, the Spanish Aerobiology Network reports moderate concentrations of cypress pollen in the south, center, and northeast of the Iberian Peninsula. Nettle pollen is moderately high in the south, and ash pollen is moderate in the northeast.
Looking ahead to next week, cypress pollen is expected to remain moderate across most of the peninsula, with potentially high concentrations in the south. Nettle pollen will likely maintain a moderate concentration in the southern regions.
Allergists Recommend Starting Medication Now
The combination of recent storms and unseasonably warm temperatures is a particular concern for those with allergies. Allergists are advising patients to begin taking prescribed medication now, as pollen levels are anticipated to be higher than last year, when levels were already elevated.
Pilar Lara, an allergist at Virgen Macarena Hospital and a member of the Aerobiology Committee of the Spanish Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology, explained that cypress pollen levels have already surged in provinces like Seville. A record reading of 655 grams per cubic meter of air was recorded on at the Hospital del Tomillar station in Dos Hermanas. The reactive level, which triggers symptoms in patients, is declared at 135 grams per cubic meter of air.
Following cypress, pollen from plane trees and olive trees will become more prevalent. In addition to medication, Lara recommends implementing “barrier” measures, such as avoiding countryside or green areas, wearing sunglasses, and keeping windows closed during peak pollination hours. Allergy vaccines remain a highly effective method for managing symptoms.
Diagnoses are becoming increasingly precise, allowing for the identification of specific proteins that trigger allergic reactions. This enables the development of more personalized and effective vaccine compositions. The Andalusian Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology reported in that 25% of the urban population and 15% of the rural population in Andalusia suffer from some type of allergy, affecting over 2.5 million people.
Grass and olive pollens are the most common allergy triggers, resulting in symptoms of rhinoconjunctivitis and bronchial asthma. Nationwide, approximately 16.5% of the Spanish population – around eight million people – are allergic to pollen, according to the Spanish Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology.
Virgen Macarena Hospital, a leading center for allergy treatment, saw 25,000 consultations in , including 6,000 first-time referrals from primary care physicians.
As reported by inspain.news in March 2025, unusual weather patterns and urban pollution are driving this early and intense allergy season. A study analyzing 23 years of pollen and meteorological data, published by the University of Cordoba, found that the grass pollen season is lengthening by almost four days each year due to earlier flowering and later ending times. The study highlighted the importance of wind patterns in distributing pollen and influencing allergy symptom severity. Specifically, the research team found that wind dynamics differ between the phases leading up to and following peak pollen concentration.
According to weather.com, high levels of tree pollen are currently being reported in Córdoba, with grass and ragweed pollen levels remaining low. The site also offers practical advice for managing allergies, including showering after being outdoors, minimizing indoor pollen by keeping windows closed and using air purifiers, and checking weather forecasts for wind conditions that can exacerbate pollen levels.