{
  "id": 3438814,
  "title": "Introduce hourly reports on haze conditions, say atmospheric experts",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/introduce-hourly-reports-on-haze-conditions-say-atmospheric-experts-3438814",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-26T04:45:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/08/26/introduce-hourly-reports-on-haze-conditions-say-atmospheric-experts"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Atmospheric experts have urged Singapore's authorities to issue hourly air quality index reports to help Malaysians make real-time decisions to protect their health. Current reports provide a 24-hour average, which is fairly accurate but may not reflect real-time conditions.\n\nHelena Varkkey, an associate professor at Universiti Malaya, believes that Malaysia should adopt this hourly reporting system to enable people to decide if it is safe to go outside. She also pointed out that the predicted Super El Nino season could make future haze situations more severe due to hotter and drier conditions.\n\nM Jayaprakash, a senior principal assistant secretary at GovTech Malaysia, suggested transitioning from a reactive approach of counting hotspots to predicting impacts. He argued that people need to know when and where smoke and particles are likely to reach them to prepare better.\n\nThe atmospheric scientist emphasized that Malaysia should leverage its existing AI-based prediction capabilities, combining satellite observations, hotspot data, meteorological conditions, wind patterns, and atmospheric modeling to forecast where and when smoke will travel. The focus should now be on operationalizing this prediction system to provide timely information to the public and businesses, enabling them to prepare before pollution reaches their location.",
  "summary": "They say while the current 24-hour average is accurate, issuing air quality index readings every hour will help Malaysians make real-time decisions to safeguard their health.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Introduce hourly reports on haze conditions, say atmospheric experts",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/introduce-hourly-reports-on-haze-conditions-say-atmospheric-experts",
        "published": "2026-08-26T04:45:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}