Thunderstorm asthma season has begun, and a forecasting app could help vulnerable Australians avoid potentially deadly events.

The Victorian government’s Emergency Victoria app and website predict the risk of asthma

from thunderstorms over a three-day period, with different colours indicating different levels of risk.

“We now have a world-leading forecasting system,” Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said on Friday.

Thunderstorm asthma

The season runs from October to Christmas, and Ms Thomas said residents should prepare now.

“Thunderstorm asthma season has begun.

It’s a good time for anyone in our state who has hay fever or asthma … to visit their GP,” she said.

“And make sure they have a plan in place. Most importantly, talk to your GP

and make sure you have the medication you need.”

On Friday, the risk level was set to green, meaning the risk is low.

Thunderstorm-related asthma events can be fatal.

In 2016, 10 Victorians lost their lives in a catastrophic event in Melbourne.

Thousands more suffered respiratory problems.

“We’ve learned a lot since then,” Ms Thomas said.

“I want to reassure all Victorians that our ambulance services and hospitals are

well positioned to respond to any surge in demand that we may see,

in the event of an asthma event due to thunderstorms here in the state.”

She said Victorians most at risk should “stay at home” on high-risk days.

“It’s really important that people who are most at risk stay at home,” she said.

“That’s the safest way to reduce the risk of an asthma event due to thunderstorms.”

Acting chief health officer Dr Evelyn Wong warned that one in eight Victorians has asthma and one in four has hay fever.

Thunderstorm asthma is caused by specific weather conditions that intersect with a specific type of grass.

A series of thunderstorms

“In Victoria, this is usually a series of thunderstorms or a severe weather change that can lift pollen particles and then break them up into smaller particles that can then go deep into the lungs,” a Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist said at a press conference on Friday.

She said the thunderstorm forecast for Victoria was looking “average” at the moment and the grass forecast was “uncertain at the moment”.

The Bureau of Meteorology said on Friday there was a chance of severe storms and damaging wind gusts over the Melbourne area.