Haze creeps into unhealthy range as Sumatra hot spots spike

Today Online 4 Nov 14;
SINGAPORE — Haze readings, which edged into the unhealthy range yesterday afternoon and continued climbing into the night, are expected to be in the high end of the moderate range or low end of the unhealthy range today.

At 3pm yesterday, the three-hour Pollutant Standards Index breached the unhealthy mark and readings edged up steadily to hit 127 by 9pm, before receding slightly to 126 at 10pm. Any reading over 100 up to 200 is considered unhealthy.

The PM2.5 — tiny particles smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter — levels were also elevated in most regions, with one-hour concentrations ranging from 59 to 82 micrograms per cubic metre at 5pm, said the National Environment Agency (NEA). A 24-hour PM2.5 reading of between 56 and 150 is considered unhealthy.

In an update posted on its website at 5pm yesterday, the NEA said the haziness was smoke blown in by prevailing southerly winds from Sumatra, whose southern part has experienced drier weather, leading to a “sharp increase” in the number of hot spots there. A total of 205 hot spots were detected in Sumatra yesterday, it added.

Last Tuesday, the NEA had said the threat of serious haze appeared to have been averted for the rest of the year, with the onset of the Inter-Monsoon season over the past week signalling the end of the traditional dry period in the region. The Inter-Monsoon period normally lasts from October to November, and is characterised by more rainfall and light winds that are variable in direction.

382 hotspots detected in southern Sumatra: NEA
Channel NewsAsia 3 Nov 14;

SINGAPORE: A total of 382 hotspots with "visible smoke plumes and haze" were detected in southern Sumatra on Monday (Nov 3), the National Environment Agency said. The 3-hour PSI hit a high of 116, in the Unhealthy range, at about 10am, before gradually improving due to a change in wind direction.

At 9pm, the 24-hour PSI was 90 to 105, at the lower end of the Unhealthy range, while the 3-hour PSI was 70, in the Moderate range.

For Tuesday (Nov 4), NEA forecasts prevailing winds to blow mainly from the southeast. As a result, Singapore may experience "occasional haze", the agency said. The 24-hour PSI is expected to be in the high end of the Moderate range, and may enter the low end of the Unhealthy range if the winds turn unfavourable, the NEA said.

- CNA/dl

Haze expected to persist for rest of today: NEA
Today Online 3 Nov 14;

SINGAPORE — Yesterday’s (Nov 2) hazy conditions are expected to persist for the rest of today, owing to smoke haze from southern Sumatra, blown in by the prevailing southerly winds, the National Environment Agencey (NEA) said.

Yesterday, the three-hour Pollutant Standards Index breached the unhealthy mark at 3pm and readings edged up steadily to hit 127 by 9pm, before receding slightly to 126 at 10pm.

As of 7pm today, the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) stands in the 92-108 range. Any reading over 100 up to 200 is considered unhealthy.

The NEA said the 24-hr PSI for Singapore is expected to remain in the high-end of the Moderate range and the low-end of the Unhealthy range.

The NEA also advises that prolonged or strenuous outdoor physical exertion should be reduced for healthy persons, the elderly, pregnant women and children, as well as those with chronic lung or heart disease.

No air-con for B2, C-class wards despite the haze: Gan Kim Yong
Channel NewsAsia 4 Nov 14;

SINGAPORE: The B2 and C class wards in local hospitals are designed for natural ventilation, taking into account affordability and infection control considerations, said Health Minister Gan Kim Yong in Parliament on Monday (Nov 3).

He was responding to a question by NMP K Karthikeyan on whether Ministry of Health (MOH) will consider providing air-conditioning for hospital wards of these classes as a way to protect patients from the haze and external noise.

However, Mr Gan added that MOH takes additional measures when the environmental conditions warrant it.

"For example, when the haze intensified last year, MOH provided funding to healthcare institutions to purchase air purifiers and portable air coolers for use in naturally ventilated wards. This equipment can be used during a sustained severe haze, should it occur again," he said.

"In addition to this, we are also looking at incorporating additional filter systems in the naturally ventilated patient wards for new healthcare facilities."

- CNA/kk

S’pore may have occasional haze today
Today Online 4 Nov 14;

SINGAPORE — The island may experience occasional haze today, with the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) likely to be in the high end of the moderate range.

It may enter the low end of the unhealthy range should the winds turn unfavourable, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said on its website last evening.

Hazy conditions, which affected Singapore on Sunday, persisted yesterday morning, with the 24-hour PSI entering the unhealthy range in some parts of the island at 3am.

At 2pm yesterday, the 24-hour PSI was 102 to 119, within the unhealthy range. However, the situation gradually improved due to a change in the prevailing wind direction to southeasterly. At 7pm, the 24-hour PSI was 92 to 108, in the moderate to unhealthy range, the NEA said.

The haziness was due to smoke haze from southern Sumatra, blown in by the prevailing southerly winds.

A total of 382 hot spots with visible smoke plumes and haze were detected there yesterday.

The NEA said last week that the threat of serious haze appeared to have been averted for the rest of the year, with the onset of the Inter-Monsoon season signalling the end of the traditional dry period in the region.

PSI goes into unhealthy range, could persist today
Melody Zaccheus The Straits Times AsiaOne 3 Nov 14;

AFTER staying in the clear for several days, the three-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) soared steadily from 86 at 1pm to hit 127 at 9pm yesterday.

Hazy conditions are expected to persist today with air quality, as measured by the 24-hour PSI, being in the almost or slightly unhealthy range, said the National Environment Agency (NEA) in an update yesterday. PSI is considered unhealthy when it enters the range of 101 to 200.
The levels of PM2.5, which are small, toxic particles, were "elevated" in most parts of the Republic, NEA noted.

The Meteorological Service Singapore had said last week that it was expecting the situation to improve with more rain and less haze as the south-west monsoon season has ended.

NEA said yesterday's condition was due to smoke haze from Sumatra blown in by prevailing southerly winds.

The agency detected 205 hot spots in Sumatra last Saturday. It said drier weather in south Sumatra over the past two days had led to a spike in hot spots.

So far, the highest three-hour PSI this year was 153 on Oct 6.

As the PSI climbed, some Singaporeans took to social media to lament missed opportunities for picnics and runs.

With the holidays around the corner, housewife Stephanie Soh, 47, who has three daughters, said she hopes the haze will dissipate.

Her 10-year-old daughter will be having her last exam paper today and is hoping to get out of the house for some time in the sun.

The other two, aged 16 and 18, are in the midst of exams. They mostly stay indoors, with the air-conditioner cranked up.

Said Mrs Soh: "We experience dry throat and our eyes tear sometimes.

My youngest has requested to go to the park and Universal Studios so we hope the situation improves."

Still, the haze is expected to dissipate with the onset of the rainy season during the north-east monsoon early next month, according to the Meteorological Service Singapore's forecast last week.

NEA recommends that when the index hits the unhealthy band, healthy people should reduce prolonged or strenuous outdoor physical exertion, while the elderly, pregnant women and children should minimise such activities.

Those with chronic lung or heart diseases should avoid such activities completely.