Bad hayfever season likely after Victoria's warm, wet winter - ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

It is almost a decade since a thunderstorm asthma event killed nine people in Victoria. (Reuters: Hollie Adams)

More extreme grass pollen days are expected in Victoria this spring.

It follows Victoria's wettest winter in a decade and the warmest on record in Melbourne. 

The Department of Health will begin issuing daily thunderstorm asthma forecasts next week.

Much of Victoria could experience a more active hayfever season after this year's warm, wet winter.

Seasonal hayfever affects people who are allergic to tree and grass pollen, which are released into the air during spring.

Tree pollen season is already underway in Melbourne, with cypress trees responsible for a number of extreme ratings being issued by air-monitoring service Melbourne Pollen already this spring.

Grass pollen season starts on October 1.

Last year, there were five extreme grass pollen days and 15 high grass pollen days in Melbourne.

With Victoria recording its wettest winter in a decade and above-average temperatures, Melbourne Pollen said the state was likely to see more extreme grass pollen days this year.

"We are seeing conditions that look more favourable to a larger year than we did last year," said Edwin Lampugnani, the CEO of AirHealth, which runs Melbourne Pollen.

"That's really driven by the satellite data that we're seeing, with lots of greenness in those north-western pasture lands."

Melbourne Pollen has already issued a number of extreme ratings this season due to tree pollens. (Supplied: Melbourne Pollen)

Dr Lampugnani said western and central Victoria could be affected by the more active season, but there was better news for the east of the state.

"In the Gippsland region, we are seeing dry conditions and the prediction is that we are going to have lower amounts of rainfall in that area, and so for the Gippsland area we're expecting a subdued pollen season," he said.

And there is hope the El Niño weather pattern affecting Australia could lead to a shorter hayfever season.

Western and central Victoria are likely to record higher levels of pollen this hayfever season. (iStockphoto)

"We're not going to be having those wet summers," said Cenk Suphioglu, a professor of biomedical science at Deakin University.

Melbourne's geography and climate, including the state's wind patterns, had led to the city being dubbed the world's hayfever capital by Professor Suphioglu's pollen science centre, AirWatch.

Professor Suphioglu said rye grass was grown extensively for livestock feed on farmlands to the north-west of Melbourne.

He said the grass produced large amounts of pollen, which was carried on northerly winds to the city.

Rye grass is grown in abundance on Victoria farmlands and produces large amounts of pollen. (ABC News: James Jooste)

Residents of Melbourne's west were the most affected, while those living to the east of Port Phillip reaped the rewards of a naturally occurring pollen filter, he said.

"As the pollen is travelling over the water, if they then suddenly settle on top of the water, it's going to be a water filtration effect," Professor Suphioglu said.

"If you can relocate to the [Mornington] Peninsula, or the further you go on the other side of the water … the better for you."

Hayfever symptoms include sneezing, coughing and an itchy nose, eyes and throat.

Medical experts have previously told the ABC antihistamine tablets can help those suffering mild symptoms of hayfever, but people with more moderate cases may need a nasal spray, including a corticosteroid or anti-inflammatory spray.

Eye drops from a pharmacy can help soothe watery, itchy eyes.

Those with severe symptoms can speak to their doctor about whether they should be referred to an allergy specialist.

Under certain conditions, hayfever sufferers can experience respiratory distress.

"Thunderstorm asthma is a particular condition that occurs when certain types of storms, combined with very high or extreme levels of grass pollen, occur simultaneously," Dr Lampugnani said.p

"Under those conditions, grass pollen can rupture, turn into very small particles, and those small particles can go down into your lungs and cause asthma-like symptoms."

Thunderstorms help break grass pollen grains up into particles small enough to inhale into lungs. (Supplied: Asthma Australia)

November 21 will be the 10th anniversary of Melbourne's thunderstorm asthma event that killed nine people and forced thousands to seek urgent medical help.

At the end of a hot day, a severe thunderstorm swept across Melbourne and Geelong.

"The storm was followed by an epidemic thunderstorm asthma event, the likes of which, in terms of size, severity and acuity, had never before been seen, nor even imagined, let alone planned for," then-Victorian chief health officer Charles Guest said in a 2017 report.

Thousands of people developed breathing difficulties, "creating extraordinary and unparalleled demand" for the health system with a 3,000 per cent increase in asthma-related intensive care admissions, Professor Guest said.

The health department has since declared it the world's largest epidemic thunderstorm asthma event.

Thunderstorm asthma forecasts are issued by the Department of Health and are available through the Vic Emergency app.

The daily forecasts will begin next week, coinciding with the grass pollen season.

"It's really important that you start preparing now," Dr Lampugnani said.

"Make sure you have an asthma action plan in place and that you've spoken to your GP about treating your condition."