Channel NewsAsia 20 Sep 14;
SINGAPORE: The overall air quality for Saturday (Sep 20) is expected to be in the "moderate" range, even as 142 hotspots were detected in Indonesia's Sumatra and Kalimantan on Friday.
According to an advisory by the National Environment Agency (NEA) on Saturday, there were 44 hotspots in Sumatra and 98 hotspots in Kalimantan on Friday, which caused the haze experienced in the city-state. Air quality improved overnight though, helped by showers and a change in wind direction in some parts of the region.
It added that prevailing winds are expected to blow from the southeast or south, and showers are expected Saturday afternoon.There may be occasional slight haze experienced, but overall air quality is expected to be in the "moderate" range. As of 4pm, the three-hour PSI reading is at 60, while the 24-hour PSI reading ranges between 60 and 63, NEA data showed.
For updates, visit NEA's website (www.nea.gov.sg), the haze microsite (www.haze.gov.sg), or via Facebook (www.facebook.com/NEASingapore) and Twitter (@NEAsg).
- CNA/kk
Overall air quality expected to stay in ‘moderate' range for next 24 hours: NEA
Today Online 20 Sep 14;
SINGAPORE - Occasional slight haze is expected to continue tomorrow as prevailing winds are forecast to blow from the southeast or south, says the National Environment Agency (NEA).
The weather agency said “the overall air quality for the next 24 hours is expected to be in the moderate range,” in their daily haze situation report released at 5pm today (Sept 20).
For most of today, the air quality remained in the moderate range, with the 24-hour Pollutant Standard Index (PSI) recording the highest reading of 82-88 in the wee hours of the morning between 1am and 2am before slipping gradually. As of 9pm, the PSI registered 55-60 while the three-hour reading registered 55. Air quality is in the moderate range when the PSI value is between 51 and 100, and is considered unhealthy when the PSI value is between 101 and 200.
This marks an improvement from yesterday where air quality hovered into the unhealthy range for some periods in the day. The three-hour PSI reading was above 90 throughout, reaching a peak of 106 at 4pm. The 24-hour charted a peak of 96-102 at 5pm.
The NEA also gave an assurance to members of the public that routine activities can be allowed to proceed tomorrow based on the 24-hour haze forecast.
“Given the air quality forecast for the next 24 hours, everyone can continue with normal activities,” the agency said.
Earlier this week, the NEA said that Singapore is expected to experience haze for the next two weeks due to prevailing wind conditions from the south-southeast or the south-west where Sumatra lies, with periods of consecutive dry days that are typical during this South-west Monsoon season.
