SINGAPORE — Widespread thundery showers across Singapore on Wednesday (Sept 25) brought some respite from the haze, although the weatherman says that the island may still experience occasional “slightly hazy conditions” over the next few days.

In a press release on Wednesday, the National Environment Agency (NEA) added that more thundery showers are expected over the next few days over Singapore, with showers over parts of Sumatra.

While showers fell over parts of the Indonesian island on Wednesday, a total of 115 hot spots were still detected, NEA said.

“Hot-spot activities continued to be observed in central and southern Sumatra, and smoke haze was observed to emanate from some of the hot spots there.” 

It added that although the recent showers have brought some improvement to the haze situation in the region, hot-spot activities in Sumatra “can be expected to persist”.

As a result, Singapore may still continue to experience the occasional slightly hazy conditions over the next few days if prevailing winds blow smoke from Sumatra towards the country.

“For the next 24 hours, the 1-hr PM2.5 concentration readings are expected to be in Band I (Normal), and the 24-hr Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) is forecast to be in the good to moderate range,” the agency said.

A check on NEA’s haze monitoring site at 8pm showed that the 24-hr PSI was in the moderate range across the country, ranging from 60 to 64. The 1-hr PM2.5 concentration readings at 8pm ranged from 16 to 42µg/m3, in Band I (Normal).

The agency said that it is monitoring the situation closely and will provide updates when necessary.

It added that given the air-quality forecast for the next 24 hours, the public can continue with their normal activities.

“Persons who are not feeling well, especially the elderly and children, and those with chronic heart or lung conditions, should (however) seek medical attention.”