Haze in Singapore: Air quality deteriorating; PSI in central region back in unhealthy range
The PSI in the central region was 102 as at 11am.
On October 3, Singapore's air quality deteriorated, with the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) in the central region dropping into the unhealthy range at 11am at 102. While other regions maintained a moderate range, all PSI readings rose. Elevated PM2.5 levels, a measure of immediate air quality, were recorded in the east, west, and central regions at 66, 57, and 63, respectively.
The National Environment Agency (NEA) defines unhealthy air quality as a 24-hour PSI between 101 and 200, while an hourly PM2.5 reading between 56 and 150 indicates elevated fine particles. The PSI last entered the unhealthy range on September 30, with a peak of 134 in central Singapore at 1am that day. The year's highest PSI was 167, recorded on September 29, also in central Singapore.
The NEA forecasted the PSI would remain in the moderate to low unhealthy range. Smoke plumes from southern Sumatra in Indonesia were drifting towards Singapore, as were smoke plumes from fires in Kalimantan. The last time the PSI entered the unhealthy range was on September 4, when it hit 101 in central Singapore. This marks the first time since October 2023 that the PSI reached unhealthy levels due to haze.
El Nino and the Indian Ocean Dipole have contributed to warmer and drier conditions, increasing the risk of haze. Strong El Nino events may prolong the haze, potentially lasting longer than in non-El Nino years.
Written by urgent.news from Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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