- Singapore might enjoy a brief relief from the haze due to the upcoming rainy season in November and December, but the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, Grace Fu, warns that the haze risk will carry on for months.
- The El Nino weather phenomenon, characterised by hot and dry conditions, could exacerbate the haze situation, as it increases the likelihood of fires, particularly in peatland regions.
- Over the weekend, the air quality in Singapore fluctuated with the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reading reaching a high of 123 in the east of Singapore, before experiencing an improvement on Sunday, recording a moderate air quality score.
Right, pals, let’s dive into it! Our beloved Lion City is currently in a bit of a sticky situation. We might get a short break from the haze with the arrival of the rainy season, soon, but it seems like we’re in for a ”prolonged haze in Singapore”. The Straits Times reported that, despite a possible relief period, the haze will stick around due to a warming of the ocean surface condition known as El Niño.
El Niño and La Niña: Partners in Crime
You’ve probably heard these Spanish names thrown around a fair bit, especially if you’re a weather geek.
El Niño and its sister La Niña are infamous for causing all sorts of weather-related issues worldwide. Last few years, we had prolonged wet weather, thanks to La Niña, which spared us any major fire or ”haze pollution in Singapore”. La Niña refers to the cooling of ocean surface, the opposite of El Niño.
This time, though, El Niño is on stage, and he’s known for hot and dry conditions – no prizes for guessing what that means – yep, more haze!
Haze and Jungle Fires: The Tiresome Tango
Our neighbour, Indonesia, is often up in smoke (quite literally) due to large-scale burning of peatlands. Now, these fires aren’t into social distancing. The smoke doesn’t just stay there; it loves to travel and give a smoky hug to neighbouring countries like Singapore, causing a notorious ”haze situation in Singapore”.
With El Niño taking the lead, it’s like adding petrol to fire – the dry conditions increase fire chance, and the smoke from these peatland bashings stays up in the air even longer, refusing to give us a breather. Literally!
As put by an expert, “Depending on wind speed and direction, these smoke plumes could affect the air quality of neighbouring countries like Singapore.” So, the ”air quality Singapore” is, unfortunately, subject to wind whims!
How Bad Is It, Really?
Last Saturday, those of us residing in the east of Singapore, were hit by the highest Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) readings – we’re talking three-digit numbers here, mates, as high as 123! Breath-taking right? And not in a good way.
Fortunately, on Sunday, things cooled down a bit, with PSI dipping to a more acceptable level of 57 to 86. So, breathing was a bit easier. Still, these are ”health risks of prolonged haze” we’re talking about, folks. We need to take it seriously.
So, What Now?
Don’t you worry, lads and lasses, the government is all geared up. They tell us there are enough N95 masks in stock to cope with the ”haze problem in Singapore”, and they’ll buy more if needed.
The interagency haze task force is also ready with guidelines on when to use N95 masks for different exposure levels. So, we can expect prompt ”haze updates in Singapore” and instructions on mask usage if things take a turn for the worse.
Well, this is a classic example of why we should keep our environment clean and balanced. As Minister Grace Fu put it, “So yes, we are talking about something that’s going to last for months.” But hey, let’s not despair. Together, we can tackle even this ”prolonged haze risk”.
Remember, every cloud (or haze!) has a silver lining. What do you think we can do as individuals to deal with the ”prolonged haze situation”? Let’s brainstorm and share ideas in the comments below. Let our small steps leave a big footprint in improving our ”air quality Singapore”!
