Canberra's asthma sufferers should be extra cautious this pollen season after ANU researchers found evidence that the phenomenon known as "thunderstorm asthma" happens in the capital.
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Previously only known in Melbourne, the phenomenon that can put asthmatics in hospital happens when there is both a thunderstorm and a spike in grass pollen.
In these conditions pollen is more likely to cause more intense asthma or hay fever as it gets "excited" in the storm's electrical charge, Professor Simon Haberle, from the ANU School of Culture, History & Language, said.
Using information collected in the first year of the Canberra Pollen app, Professor Haberle said that on one weekend last year there was a spike in pollen and a record number of asthma-related hospital admissions, which also correlated with storm cells near the city.
This year the Canberra Pollen app project will expand, he said. People will be able to enter their age, occupation, amount of time spent outside and whether they suffer from asthma into the app.
Professor Simon Haberle said as the project grows researchers can begin to predict hazardous conditions and advise people to, for example, stay inside until they pass.
"This thing will actually improve wellbeing and health," he said. "We have these alerts ... and that should help people modify their behaviour."
The research has previously revealed Canberra's pollen hotspots with the highest counts coming from Casey, Franklin and Reid in northern Canberra, Gilmore, Isabella Plains and Calwell in southern Canberra, and Karabah and Jerrabomberra in Queanbeyan.
Professor Haberle said he's looking forward to finding out if the hot spots are the same this year.
The Canberra Pollen app publishes daily alerts and six-day forecasts of pollen levels during peak allergy season from October 1 to the end of December.
You can download the app on iPhone and Android and counts can be followed on Twitter @CanberraPollen and Facebook.
