Haze expected to persist, PSI could creep into unhealthy range
Hazy conditions in Singapore on Sept 7, 2015. Photo: Jason Quah
SINGAPORE — The haze enveloping Singapore is expected to persist tomorrow (Sept 8) with the 24-hour Pollutant Standard Index (PSI) possibly creeping into the low end of the unhealthy (101-200) range, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said today.
Today, haze conditions improved in the morning but air quality deteriorated in the early afternoon as a “slight shift” in prevailing winds saw the return of the haze from Sumatra, said the agency.
The three-hour PSI was 66 at 9am, but worsened swiftly in the afternoon, reaching 99 at 3pm, and 121 at 8pm. As at 10pm today, 24-hour PSI was 79 - 92, in the high end of the moderate (51-100) range, while the three-hour PSI was 115.
Despite the haze, just nine hotspots were detected in Sumatra today. The low hotspot count was due to cloud cover over parts of central Sumatra, as well as partial satellite pass-when the orbiting satellite’s field of view covers just part of a region of interest, the NEA said.
Widespread moderate to dense smoke haze was observed in central and southern Sumatra. Haze was also observed to have spread over the Strait of Malacca and parts of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, added the NEA.
Haze conditions have plagued Singapore since last week. Last week, NEA chief executive officer, Mr Ronnie Tay, wrote to his Indonesian counterpart earlier this week to “register Singapore’s concerns” over the situation and seek an urgent update on the situation on the ground.
The NEA said it still expects occassional hazy conditions tomorrow with the PSI fluctuating between the high end of the moderate range and the low end of the unhealthy range. Air quality may decline if the winds are unfavourable, although thundery showers are expected in the late morning and early afternoon.
Given the air quality forecast for the next 24 hours, healthy people should reduce prolonged or strenuous outdoor physical exertion, said the NEA.
The elderly, pregnant women and children should minimise prolonged or strenuous outdoor physical exertion, while those with chronic lung or heart disease should avoid prolonged or strenuous outdoor physical exertion.
Those who are not feeling well, especially the elderly and children, and those with chronic heart or lung conditions, should seek medical attention.
