S’pore may have occasional haze today

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.