This year's La Nina weather pattern is causing issues for hay fever sufferers due to the pairing of a high grass pollen count and heavy rainfalls this year.
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Menzies Institute of Research research fellow Penelope Jones said Tasmanians were weeks into the high-pollen season and those with asthma in particular should take a chance to check-in with their GP over their asthma management plan.
As for hay fever sufferers, she said high amounts of rain over the spring season had promoted high grass growth and therefore higher pollen production.
"In Tassie, our grass pollen season has started over the last few weeks and we are seeing a higher than normal grass pollen levels in Hobart and Launceston," Dr Jones said.
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She said on rainy days, it was unlikely there would be high pollen levels as they would be washed out of the air.
It is when these days were followed by a dry spell that hay fever aggravations heightened, Dr Jones said.
Conditions associated with a La Nina weather pattern in Melbourne five years ago caused the biggest recorded asthma outbreak in Australia during which nine people died.
The outbreak was caused by extremely high grass pollen levels, humidity and a particularly type of thunderstorm.
Dr Jones said thunderstorms did not usually occur during grass pollen seasons.
"It does need to be a particular type of thunderstorm that makes what is called a downdraft happen which is a release of downwards air," she said.
"If there are broken-up parts of grass pollen floating around in a thunderstorm, that downdraft will dump it in a concentrated dose potentially on population centres."
Political reporter for Australian Community Media, based in Hobart.
Political reporter for Australian Community Media, based in Hobart.
