Pollen and mold counts are expressed in the grains of particle present per cubic meter of air over a 24-hour period. This type of report usually indicates whether it is referring to mold spores, tree pollen, grass pollen or weed pollen. The particles counts are given in five different levels:

• Mold. The higher the mold number, the more severe symptoms may become. These refer to outside mold levels.
• • Absent – 0
  • Low – 1 to 6,499
  • Moderate – 6,500 to 12,999
  • High – 13,000 to 49,999
  • Very high – Greater than 50,000
    
    
• Tree pollen. Tree pollen levels are generally very potent.
• • Absent – 0
  • Low – 1 to 14
  • Moderate – 15 to 89
  • High – 90 to 1499
  • Very High – Greater than 1500
    
    
• Grass pollen. One of the most potent and common sources of pollen.
• • Absent – 0
  • Low – 1 to 4
  • Moderate – 5 to 19
  • High – 20 to 199
  • Very high – Greater than 200
    
    
• Weed pollen. Extremely potent, a single ragweed plant is capable of releasing over one million pollen grains a day when in season.
• • Absent – 0
  • Low – 1 to 9
  • Moderate – 10 to 49
  • High – 50 to 499
  • Very high – Greater than 500

The following is a sample pollen and mold report:

It is important to note that the levels provided in a pollen and mold report are not an up-to-date representation of the conditions at the time of the report. Instead, the reported counts reflect an average for the sampling period. For instance, allergen counts reported on Wednesday morning are likely a reflection of the average count for a 24 hour period ending some time Wednesday morning.