There is a chance of slight haze affecting Singapore if the regional situation escalates, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said on Sunday (Oct 15) in its daily haze advisory.

A total of 24 hot spots were detected mostly in the southern and central parts of Sumatra, down from the 68 hot spots detected on Saturday.

As of 8pm on Sunday, 1-hour PM2.5 concentration readings were mostly in the normal range, with the reading in the central region of Singapore in the elevated range at 58.

The 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI), meanwhile, ranged from 53 to 79, which is in the moderate range. It is expected to remain within this range for the next 24 hours, NEA said.

Dry weather persisted over most of the surrounding regions on Sunday.

"Continued dry conditions are forecast over Singapore and the surrounding region until Monday, with the prevailing winds expected to blow mainly from the south to southwest," NEA said.

The skies have been mostly clear since last Saturday when the air quality fell into the unhealthy range for the first time since 2019.

Rain over Singapore and the surrounding region this week had lowered the likelihood of haze.

Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said last Saturday that the haze situation is uncertain because it depends on a few factors, such as the number of hot spots and forest fires in the region, wind direction and whether it rains.

"It's uncertain but we know that we are in an El Nino period, which means that it's drier and hotter," Ms Fu said.

"We need to be vigilant and expect this condition to be intermittent and come and go, or if it's more serious, it may be with us for a while."

NEA said that the health impact of haze is dependent on a person's health status, the PSI level, and the length and intensity of outdoor activity.

People should check the 1-hour PM2.5 concentration readings and personal guide before outdoor activities.

They can also use the 24-hour PSI forecast and health advisories to plan for their outdoor activities.

Air quality readings and advisories can be found on www.haze.gov.sg and the myENV app. CNA

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Source:
courtesy of TODAY

by Today Online

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