Pollen and allergies — Bitola
Bitola lies on the southern edge of Pelagonia, the largest plain in North Macedonia, at an altitude of about 600 meters, at the foot of Baba Mountain. Pelagonia is the agricultural heart of the country — vast areas under cereals, tobacco, and meadows — so the pollen season in Bitola is to a large degree a season of grasses and cereals, with a marked peak in late spring and early summer.
Main allergens and season
- Late winter and early spring (February–March): alder along the Crna and its tributaries, as well as in the riparian woods of Pelagonia.
- Spring (April–May): birch in the city greenery and parks, alongside it ash.
- Late spring and summer (May–July): grasses are the longest and, for most of Bitola's allergy sufferers, the most demanding season — the meadows and pastures of Pelagonia and the cereals on the arable land give abundant pollen.
- Late summer (August–September): ragweed on unmanaged land along roads and on neglected plots, with mugwort leading the way from July. Concentrations are as a rule lower than in the Skopje basin.
Bitola does not have its own measuring station on this service, so the displayed forecast is based on the European CAMS model (via Open-Meteo) — the values are modeled, not measured, but a useful guide for planning outdoor activities.