Air quality improves on Oct 19 as PM2.5 levels ease; haze may return from Oct 20

Residents in Singapore started the week with clearer skies and fresher air on Monday (Oct 19) morning, extending a welcome respite that started on Sunday after a change in wind directions.

In its daily haze situation update on Sunday evening , the National Environment Agency (NEA) explained that the improvement in air quality was due to the turning of winds to blow from the south.

At 9am, hourly PM2.5 was in the normal bans in the northern (50µg/m3) and southern (39µg/m3) regions. The 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) readings there are also in the good-moderate range (PSI 0 to 100)

Elsewhere, concentration readings in western (74), central (70) and eastern (69) Singapore are in the low-elevated band.

The 24-hour PSI readings in these regions were in the low-unhealthy range.

Weather forecast and PSI

Showers are forecast over Singapore and the surrounding region on Monday.

According to the Meteorological Service Singapore's 24-hour forecast, thundery showers are expected over northern and western Singapore in the afternoon.

Winds are again forecast to blow from the south-southeast or south, which could limit the transport of smoke haze from Kalimantan to Singapore, NEA stated.

However, some smoke haze from Sumatra may still drift towards Singapore, it added.

Smoke haze possibility from Oct 20

Despite the possibility of another day of better air quality on Monday, NEA also cautioned that Singapore could again experience smoke haze from Tuesday night.

This is due to a likely change in wind directions to east-southeasterly, which may then bring smoke haze from fires in Kalimantan towards Singapore overnight.

Members of the public are advised to check the latest PM2.5 readings before participating in outdoor activities.

周一（10 月 19 日）早晨，新加坡居民迎来了晴朗的天空和清新的空气，这是自周日风向改变以来，人们享受到的令人欣喜的喘息之机。

国家环境局（NEA）在周日晚间发布的每日雾霾情况更新中解释说，空气质量的改善是由于风向转为南风。

上午9点，北部地区（50µg/m3）和南部地区（39µg/m3）的PM2.5小时浓度均在正常限值范围内。这些地区的24小时污染物标准指数（PSI）读数也处于良好至中等水平（PSI 0至100）。

新加坡西部（74）、中部（70）和东部（69）的浓度读数处于低位。

这些地区的 24 小时 PSI 读数处于低不健康范围。

天气预报和PSI

预计周一新加坡及周边地区将有阵雨。

根据新加坡气象局发布的24小时天气预报，预计新加坡北部和西部地区下午将有雷阵雨。

新加坡国家环境局表示，预计风向将再次从东南偏南或正南方向吹来，这可能会限制加里曼丹岛的烟霾向新加坡输送。

报告还指出，苏门答腊岛的一些烟雾可能仍会飘向新加坡。

10月20日起可能出现烟雾

尽管周一空气质量可能再次好转，但新加坡国家环境局也警告说，从周二晚上开始，新加坡可能再次出现烟雾。

这是由于风向可能变为东南偏东风，从而可能在夜间将加里曼丹岛火灾产生的烟雾吹向新加坡。

建议公众在参加户外活动前查看最新的PM2.5读数。