Haze in Singapore: Runners train in malls, families head for indoor playgrounds

Singapore's air quality remained poor on Oct 18, with the 24-hour PSI staying within the "unhealthy" to "very unhealthy" range, except in the western region where the reading reached 228. The PSI readings in the other areas were 129 in the north, 173 in the south, 180 in the east, and 185 in the central region. Air quality is classified as "unhealthy" when the PSI falls between 101 and 200, and "very unhealthy" when it is between 201 and 300.

The one-hour PM2.5 readings, indicating fine particle concentrations, were elevated across all regions, ranging from 78 in the north to 124 in the central region at 7am on Oct 18. The PSI reading of 229 during the peak haze period on Oct 16 in the central region marked the highest value for this haze season. The highest PM2.5 reading recorded in 2026 was 288, measured in the western part of the island at 3pm on Oct 14.

Singapore has been experiencing unhealthy air for 14 consecutive days since Oct 5, the longest continuous stretch of poor air quality since the 2015 haze crisis, when the country endured 14 days of bad air from Sept 23 to Oct 7. The National Environment Agency predicted that the PSI could fall between 150 and 220 on Oct 18, placing it in the "unhealthy" to "very unhealthy" range due to showers forecast.

Winds are expected to shift from the south-south-east or south, potentially reducing the transport of smoke haze from Kalimantan. However, some haze from Sumatra may still drift towards Singapore. Further showers are anticipated over Singapore and parts of Kalimantan on Oct 19 and 20, with winds gradually weakening and shifting to the south-east or south, further decreasing the movement of smoke haze from Kalimantan.