Health weather

Maps and forecasts of weather conditions that can affect health. In addition to exposure to pollen, this also includes exposure to various pollutants or ultraviolet radiation (UV).

The following link will take you directly to the health weather portal. The individual topics from the health weather portal are explained and linked below.

Pollen

In cooperation with the Pollen Information Service of AZ Pollen Research GmbH and the Pollen Service of MedUni Vienna, pollen load forecasts are provided for hazel/alder, birch, grasses, mugwort and ambrosia. The co-operation enables the inclusion of measured values from pollen traps and thus guarantees that scientifically sound statements can be made.

Air quality index

The internationally standardised air quality index (AQ index) is a measure of pollution levels. The predictions of various pollutants (e.g. ozone, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, ...) are included in the calculation. The level of the air quality index is based on the pollutant for which the highest concentration values are expected.

UV exposure

Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation is based on an internationally standardised UV index. The UV index is a measure of the intensity of UV radiation that causes sunburn.

Air quality is an important factor for the well-being and quality of life of the population. Forecasts of air quality trends and warnings of possible limit value exceedances are based on the output of prediction models.

GeoSphere Austria provides daily forecasts of the most important air pollutants such as ground-level ozone and particulate matter. It also forecasts the long-range transport of desert dust. The forecasts are based on model simulations with WRF-Chem and are representative of large-scale pollutant distribution.

Measurements that are influenced by pollutant releases in the immediate vicinity, for example, may differ significantly from these model calculations.

Fine dust

Due to its particle size, fine dust (PM10) can penetrate deep into the lungs and impair lung function.

Ground-level ozone

Unlike ozone in higher layers of the atmosphere, which protects us from harmful UV radiation, ground-level ozone is an irritant gas that can impair human lung function.

Desert dust

Under certain weather conditions, desert dust is stirred up by strong winds and carried into higher layers of the atmosphere. From there, it can be transported over long distances by large-scale air currents.