Hazy conditions expected over parts of S'pore due to hotspot in Johor

ALFRED CHUA Today Online 11 Apr 18;

SINGAPORE — Expect hazy conditions — and a "burning smell" — over parts of Singapore on Wednesday (April 11) evening, the National Environment Agency (NEA) warned, following the detection of a hotspot in the southeastern part of Johor in the afternoon.

In a Facebook post, the NEA said that the smoke haze from the hotspot is being blown by the prevailing easterly winds towards Singapore, resulting in the hazy conditions.

"For the next few hours, hazy conditions are expected over parts of Singapore, and members of the public may also detect a burning smell," said the NEA.

"The 24-hour PSI is forecast to be in the higher end of the Moderate range."

As at 5pm on Wednesday, the 24-hr PSI was 48-57, in the Moderate range, and the 1-hr PM2.5 concentration readings were 5-36µg/m3, in Band II (Elevated).

The NEA added: "We are monitoring the air quality closely, and will provide updates should there be any change in the situation."

At about 7.30pm, the NEA said in an update that the density of smoke haze from the hotstpot has been reduced.

"Due to a shift in the prevailing winds, from blowing from the east to blowing from the northeast now, the haze is being blown to the sea areas to the southeast of Singapore," it said. As at 7pm today, the 24-hr PSI was 51-57, in the Moderate range, and the 1-hr PM2.5 concentration readings were 9-27µg/m3, in Band I (Normal).


Hazy conditions over parts of Singapore on Wednesday as hotspot detected in Johor: NEA
Channel NewsAsia 11 Apr 18;

SINGAPORE: Hazy conditions are expected over parts of Singapore on Wednesday (Apr 11) due to a hotspot detected in Johor, Malaysia, said the National Environment Agency (NEA).

"We have detected a hotspot with dense smoke plume in the southeastern part of Johor this afternoon. The smoke haze from the hotspot is being blown by the prevailing easterly winds towards Singapore,” NEA said in a Facebook post at about 5pm.

“For the next few hours, hazy conditions are expected over parts of Singapore, and members of the public may also detect a burning smell. The 24-hour PSI is forecast to be in the higher end of the moderate range."

The hazy conditions appear to have affected the eastern parts of Singapore, including Tampines. Some people reported a burning smell in the air.

NEA added that as of 5pm, the 24-hr PSI was 48-57, in the moderate range, while the 1-hr PM2.5 concentration readings were at 5-36µg/m3, in Band II (Elevated).

In an update at about 7.30pm, NEA said the situation has improved due to a shift in wind direction which is blowing the haze to the sea.

"The density of smoke haze from the hotspot detected in the southeastern part of Johor this afternoon has been reduced," said the agency. "The burning smell over eastern Singapore has lessened."

It added that the 1-hr PM2.5 concentration readings were 9-27µg/m3, in Band I (Normal), as of 7pm.

"Slightly hazy conditions" can still be expected for the rest of Wednesday, said NEA. "We are monitoring the air quality closely, and will provide updates should there be any change in the situation."

In September last year, a strange burning smell was reported in many parts of Singapore, but that was eventually traced to a factory in Pasir Gudang in Johor.
Source: CNA/ec


Hazy conditions over parts of Singapore on Wednesday: NEA
Lydia Lam Straits Times 11 Apr 18;

SINGAPORE - Hazy conditions were expected over parts of Singapore on Wednesday (April 11), the National Environment Agency (NEA) said.

In a statement on its Facebook page and website at around 5pm, NEA said it detected "a hot spot with dense smoke plume in the south-eastern part of Johor this afternoon".

"The smoke haze from the hot spot is being blown by the prevailing easterly winds towards Singapore," said NEA.

It said hazy conditions are expected over parts of Singapore for "the next few hours".

A burning smell may also be detected.

The 24-hour PSI is forecast to be at the higher end of the moderate range.

According to NEA's 5pm reading for Wednesday, the 24-hour PSI was 48-57, in the moderate range.

The 1-hour PM2.5 concentration readings were 5-36µg/m3, in Band II (Elevated). The maximum band is Band IV (Very High).

In an update at around 7.30pm, NEA said the density of smoke haze from Johor has reduced.

"Due to a shift in the prevailing winds, from blowing from the east to blowing from the northeast now, the haze is being blown to the sea areas to the southeast of Singapore. The burning smell over eastern Singapore has lessened," it said.

As at 7pm, the 24-hr PSI was 51-57, in the moderate range, and the 1-hr PM2.5 concentration readings were 9-27µg/m3, in Band I (Normal).

For the rest of the day, slightly hazy conditions can still be expected, NEA said.

"We are monitoring the air quality closely, and will provide updates should there be any change in the situation," said NEA.

Undergraduate Hazel Kang, 22, said she was shocked to see the haze when she came out of a classroom in the National University of Singapore. "The air feels quite dry too," she added.

Another student, Lim Jia Xi, 18, said the haze around Temasek Polytechnic was not the worst he has seen, though it affected his vision quite badly.

For Thursday, the prevailing winds are forecast to blow from the east, and thundery showers are expected in the afternoon over Singapore.

For the next 24 hours, the 1-hr PM2.5 concentration readings are expected to stay in Band I (Normal), and the 24-hr PSI is forecast to be in the good to moderate range, NEA added.