SINGAPORE: Air quality in the west improved as at noon on Thursday (Oct 29), after entering the elevated range the hour before.
The one-hour PM2.5 reading fell to 47 at 12pm, as compared with 57 the hour before. The earlier reading was the first time since the afternoon of Oct 27 that the current air quality in any of the five regions here entered the elevated range.
The one-hour PM2.5 readings for all five regions at 12pm stood between 24 and 47, in the normal range.
PM2.5 readings are gauged hourly and reflect the current air quality. Scores from zero to 55 represent normal values, and those between 56 and 150 indicate an elevated concentration of fine particles.
The 24-hour PSI readings remained in the good to moderate band, ranging from 69 to 78, as at noon on Oct 29.
Air quality is considered good to moderate when the PSI – a 24-hour rolling average of six key air pollutants – is in the range of zero to 100, and unhealthy when it is in the range of 101 to 200.
When air quality breaches the “unhealthy” threshold, people, especially the elderly, children and those with health issues, should scale down outdoor activities.
In its daily haze advisory on the evening of Oct 28, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said the Pollutant Standards Index for Oct 29 is forecast to be in the good-to-moderate range of 60 to 90.
It added that showers are expected on Oct 29 over Sumatra, Singapore and the surrounding region, which could keep the regional haze situation suppressed.
While drier conditions may return over parts of Kalimantan, smoke haze from the area is unlikely to drift towards Singapore due to favourable winds, NEA said.
For Oct 30 and 31, southeasterly to southwesterly winds are expected.
“However, showers are expected over the region which could help with the haze situation,” NEA added. - The Straits Times/ANN
