PM2.5 in normal to elevated bands on Oct 21, haze could worsen from Thursday

The Republic was spared the worst of smoke haze from Indonesia on Wednesday (Oct 21) as winds did not prevail from the east-southeast to southeast.

But the National Environment Agency (NEA) has cautioned that smoke haze may still be transported towards Singapore on Thursday and Friday.

In its daily haze situation update on Wednesday evening, the agency said that despite the forecast of showers over Singapore and the surrounding region, dry conditions are again expected over the southern parts of Kalimantan.

This, coupled with the prevailing east-southeasterly or south-easterly winds, means that smoke haze from fires in Kalimantan may be transported towards Singapore — with the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) forecast to be between 101 and 160 — in the unhealthy range.

The situation is forecast to persist into Friday.

At 8pm on Wednesday, hourly PM2.5 in the northern (30), eastern (45) and southern (53) regions were in the normal band (0 to 55µg/m3), with PSI in these areas in the good-to-moderate range (PSI 0 to 100).

Elsewhere, concentration readings remained elevated (56 to 150µg/m3) in western and central Singapore.

PSI in the two regions were 124 and 108 respectively — in the unhealthy range.

Members of the public should check the latest concentration readings before participating in any outdoor activities.

Employers should take note of the Ministry of Manpower's Tuesday additional guidance to adjust outdoor work based on the hourly PM2.5 readings .

10 月 21 日星期三，由于风向并非东南偏东至东南风，该国免受来自印度尼西亚的烟雾最严重的侵袭。

但国家环境局 (NEA) 警告称，周四和周五仍有可能出现烟雾飘向新加坡。

该机构在周三晚间的每日雾霾情况更新中表示，尽管新加坡及其周边地区预报有阵雨，但加里曼丹南部地区预计仍将保持干燥天气。

再加上盛行的东南偏东风或东南风，这意味着加里曼丹岛火灾产生的烟雾可能会被输送到新加坡——预计 24 小时污染物标准指数 (PSI) 将在 101 到 160 之间——处于不健康范围内。

预计这种情况将持续到周五。

周三晚上 8 点，北部 (30)、东部 (45) 和南部 (53) 地区的 PM2.5 小时浓度处于正常范围 (0 至 55µg/m3)，这些地区的空气质量指数 (PSI) 处于良好至中等范围 (PSI 0 至 100)。

新加坡西部和中部地区的浓度读数仍然很高（56 至 150µg/m3）。

这两个地区的 PSI 分别为 124 和 108——均处于不健康范围。

公众在参加任何户外活动前，应查看最新的浓度读数。

雇主应注意人力部周二发布的补充指导意见，根据每小时的 PM2.5 读数调整户外工作。