A thunderstorm asthma warning system has been launched in Victoria after nine people died in a freak event last year.
The monitoring and alert system will warn people about the risk of thunderstorm asthma three days before an event is expected and will run from October to December every year.
As well as the nine deaths, thousands suffered respiratory symptoms as a result of what experts have described as the world's worst recorded asthma thunderstorm on November 21.
"The great challenge with thunderstorm asthma and epidemic thunderstorm asthma was its scale, its severity, and the fact that we did not have a prediction system in place which would enable us to understand what was coming," Victorian Health Minister Jill Hennessy said on Sunday.
"Last year's unprecedented epidemic thunderstorm asthma event was the largest ever recorded in the world. If it happens again, we will be ready."
The state's chief health officer has also urged people with asthma and hay fever to be prepared and check with their doctor or pharmacist for a diagnosis.
"Pollen grass season is underway, so at-risk Victorians should speak to their GP or a pharmacist about what they can do to protect themselves," Professor Charles Guest said.
The new emergency system will predict the risk of thunderstorm asthma by analysing grass pollen forecasts, weather observations and data such as temperature, wind changes, rainfall and grass coverage.
A traffic-light scale will then identify the risk of epidemic thunderstorm asthma as low, moderate or high.
