Haze worsens overnight as air quality turns unhealthy across Singapore

Singapore's air quality deteriorated overnight, with the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) rising into the unhealthy range across all five regions on Saturday morning. The PSI ranged between 112 and 139, with the highest reading recorded in the west, while hourly PM2.5 concentrations surged from 72 in the east to 115 in the west. According to the National Environment Agency (NEA), the PSI for Saturday was predicted to fluctuate between 90 and 140, spanning both moderate and unhealthy categories.

The haze situation worsened on Friday as smoke from Sumatra began drifting towards the city-state. NEA reported that dry conditions had contributed to the degradation in air quality, with the western and central regions entering the unhealthy range first on Friday. Smoke haze was also detected over Kalimantan, and the forecast for Saturday included possible continued transmission from Sumatra, despite showers forecasted in Singapore and the surrounding region.

NEA advised the public to monitor the 24-hour PSI forecast when planning outdoor activities and to check the latest 1-hour PM2.5 readings before undertaking immediate outdoor activities. For healthy individuals, NEA recommended reducing strenuous outdoor activities during periods of elevated hourly PM2.5 concentrations. Vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with chronic heart or lung conditions, were advised to avoid strenuous outdoor activities during these periods.

For those planning activities on Saturday, NEA suggested that healthy individuals minimize prolonged or strenuous outdoor physical exertion, while the elderly, pregnant women, and children should further limit such activities. People with chronic heart or lung disease were urged to avoid prolonged or strenuous outdoor physical exertion.