Singapore Air Quality at “Unhealthy” Range on Saturday With Forecast of Hazy Condition this Weekend

If you think that things have been looking hazy recently, especially starting from yesterday and today (7 October 2023), there’s no need to rush to check your eyesight.

You are right. The haze is officially back in Singapore.

Earlier today (7 October 2023), the National Environment Agency (NEA) announced that the air quality in Singapore hit the “unhealthy” range.

Oh dear.

Here is what you need to know about the haze that looks set to come back to Singapore.

Air Quality in Singapore Turns “Unhealthy” So Expect Haze Over the Weekend

The air quality in Singapore turned “unhealthy” this morning (7 October 2023) based on the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) in the east side of Singapore.

The PSI recorded at 7 a.m. was 102, which just hit the “unhealthy” range.

Can any easties confirm if they smelt any burning smell this morning?

This rose at 8 a.m. as the reading on the east side hit 105. The PSI for “overall Singapore” was between 60 and 105 at the same time.

For those unaware, the “unhealthy” range for PSI is 100 to 2022.

Well, now that the haze is back, perhaps it’s time to get ready to ditch the surgical masks for the N95 masks to protect ourselves from the pollutants floating in the air.

The Increased Number of Hotspots in Indonesia Is Likely the Cause

Why is the haze back again?

If you’re thinking about a certain neighbouring country with a propensity for hotspots at around this time of the year, congratulations! You’ve hit the bull’s eye.

Just last week, on 29 September 2023, the NEA released a media release saying that there was an “increase in the number of hotspots over Sumatra”, with 241 and 145 hotspots detected just a day apart on 27 and 28 September, respectively.

They, therefore, expected that the “moderate to dense smoke” may cause some haze in Singapore if the wind direction shifts such that the smoke was not blowing away from Singapore.

NEA also said that people should prepare to reduce “outdoor activities and physical exertion” to reduce the “ill effects from haze exposure”.

The NEA has since updated their haze advisory, saying that there are now 212 hotspots detected in Sumatra with “smoke plumes and haze” observed over central and southern Sumatra.

The wind direction shift this morning “blew some of the lighter haze towards Singapore and caused a deterioration of air quality”.

There’s no choice but to get ready to face the haze this weekend.

You can expect to receive daily haze advisories from the NEA from now on, given the worsening air quality.