Air quality 'moderate' as NEA begins daily haze updates

Channel NewsAsia 16 Jun 14;

SINGAPORE: The National Environment Agency (NEA) has started posting daily updates on the haze situation. It says the overall air quality for the next 24 hours is expected to be in the moderate range.

An advisory posted on NEA's website says as of 6pm on Monday (June 16), the 24-hour PSI was 'moderate', at between 52 to 54. This is despite 114 hotspots being detected in Sumatra, with visible smoke plumes from hotspots in Indonesia's Riau Province.

Thundery showers are expected in parts of Singapore on Tuesday morning.

Last week, NEA had announced that it would provide daily updates on haze conditions. It said dry conditions from the onset of the Southwest Monsoon season would increase the possibility of transboundery haze.

The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) also forecast the possibility of haze affecting Singapore. It had said it expects weak to moderate El Nino conditions to develop in the next few months, which could make for hotter and drier weather.

More information is available at nea.gov.sg and haze.gov.sg.


- CNA/ly