Victorians are preparing ahead of Sunday's forecast thunderstorms with pharmacies reporting a rush on asthma-related products.
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Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Michael Efron said thunderstorms were predicted to hit the state's far west at 2pm, moving into Melbourne about 11pm.
A total fire ban has been declared for the Mallee region on Sunday.
Temperatures are forecast to reach 34 degrees in Melbourne and 40 at Swan Hill.
Mr Efron said it was not known how the thunderstorms would impact on asthma on Sunday.
"Initially, that risk will be in western Victoria, starting in the far west from around 2pm and then extending into central district, including Melbourne, from around 11pm," he said.
"That risk continues overnight across much of central and eastern Victoria, into Monday, and then contracts to north-eastern Victoria by around midday on Monday."
Eight people died and more than 8500 required emergency hospital treatment during a thunderstorm asthma outbreak on November 21 and 22.
"It's not a well-understood phenomenon but the bureau is working with health and emergency services to document the outbreak that did occur and to identify further research that may be needed to improve future warnings," Mr Efron said.
Pharmacies in Melbourne reported selling out of spacers, a device which makes it easier for people to take asthma medication.
Quan Nguyen, pharmacist at Carnovale Chemist in Yarraville, said extra stock had been ordered in.
"We've had to increase everything; everything's out of stock everywhere.
"A lot of the spacers are out of stock so we've managed to secure quite a bit because we know that we're open 24 hours. We've taken a lot of the spacers out from circulation.
"There's not many going around so basically everyone's preparing for it so there's not much stock left right around. A lot of spacers are basically sold out.
"This time around, we've got a lot of Ventolin. We've got 200 units I believe.
"We're not mucking around this time."
A pharmacist from a major chemist chain said they had definitely sold more more asthma stock than usual since the thunderstorm prediction for Sunday.
A spokesman for The Northern Hospital in Epping said nursing and medical staff will be on stand-by as a precaution for storms predicted on Sunday night.
The Austin in Heidelberg's spokeswoman said its "disaster protocol was ready to enact".
