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The pollen forecast for your area

The weather forecast for your area

Discover our hay fever advice and more information about pollen in your area.

Chicago Pollen Levels

Check out the pollen forecast in Chicago for the next few days. When it feels like there's more pollen in the air than traffic on the Eisenhower Expressway, pack Kleenex® On-the-Go tissues, so you can stay prepared for allergies, wherever you are.

Tree pollen boosts pollen counts in Chicago from February to May. Then, pollen counts drop off toward the end of spring. Even though pollen from weeds picks up around this time, pollen counts stay at lower levels from June to January, so you can dance through the streets during Chicago Summerdance, taste your way through the Chicago food scene at Taste of Chicago and take a photo at Cloudgate (a.k.a. "the Bean") and watch free movies at Millennium Park thanks to the Millennium Park Summer Film Series. That said, if you want to keep seasonal allergies at bay during months with high pollen counts, you might want to steer clear of parks and grassy areas. Read ahead for a few activities that can help get the most out of allergy season in Chicago.

Chicago Monthly Calendar

Pollen levels are highest by far in the early spring and through the summer (February – June) with weed pollen arriving in the fall.

Grass

Grass Pollen Icon Grass Pollen Icon

Tree

Tree Pollen Icon Tree Pollen Icon

Weed

Weed Pollen Icon Weed Pollen Icon

Season

Peak

Restaurants
Restaurants

Restaurants in Chicago

Chicago is a city for people who love food. Comfort food. Fine dining. You name it. You'll find it here. Plus, thanks to indoor dining, you don't have to deal with pollen, whether you're getting deep-dish pizza, jibaritos, a hot dog (without ketchup, of course) or something else delicious in this Midwestern food city.

Live Music
Live Music

Chicago Live Entertainment

The Chicago theater scene is known for its variety and talented performers. From improv to stand up to concerts to musicals and plays, anyone who loves performance art can find an excellent indoor live show that helps them avoid pollen.

Sports

Chicago Sports

Chicagoans love sports, and there's even more to love about sports, like baseball, basketball and football, when they take your mind off high pollen counts.

Show Allergy Season Who’s Boss

Looking for more info on seasonal allergies and symptoms? Check out our latest articles to help you put pollen allergies in their place.

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Find Comfort From Allergies with Kleenex®

Seasonal or not, allergy symptoms can take a heavy toll on you. Let Kleenex® facial tissues help relieve some of those symptoms.

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Ultrasoft Cube Box
Kleenex® Ultra Soft™ Facial Tissues - Cube Box

Made with 3 thick layers to softly comfort skin and protect hands.

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Kleenex® Lotion™ Facial Tissues - Cube Box

3-in-1 skin-loving benefits to protect*, soothe, and nourish your skin.

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Pollen faq

Frequently Asked Questions

Kleenex® Pollen Pal is incredibly simple to use. We use pollen forecast data to monitor pollen risk levels in your area. All you have to do is enter in your zip code, or click on one of our preselected cities, and Pollen Pal will display the pollen forecast in your area.

Pollen allergies are never fun and can vary from adult to adult. Some of the main signs include sneezing, coughing, itchy or watery eyes, and even headaches or earaches. Want to learn more? Check out Seasonal Allergy Symptom and Signs.

It's hard to completely avoid pollen when it's pollen season, however pollen levels tend to be at their highest during the morning hours. Source: https://acaai.org/allergies/allergic-conditions/seasonal-allergies/

Yes! Whether it's sunny, damp, or stormy, weather has a large impact on pollen counts. To keep it simple: pollen counts are typically highest when it's warm, humid, and windy.

For most of the United States, allergies tend to peak from February until the early summer. However, in more tropical climates the pollen season can stretch through a good potion of the year. Source: https://acaai.org/allergies/allergic-conditions/seasonal-allergies/