Haze worsens overnight as air quality turns unhealthy across Singapore
The National Environment Agency (NEA) said the 24-hour PSI for Sunday was expected to range from 80 to 130, spanning the moderate and unhealthy categories.
A view of the haze from Chinatown at 3.40pm on Oct 23, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Ooi Boon Keong)
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SINGAPORE: Air quality worsened overnight, with the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reaching the unhealthy range across all five regions early on Saturday (Oct 24).
At 9pm, the PSI ranged from 108 to 154, with the highest reading recorded in the west.
Hourly PM2.5 concentrations were elevated across the island at 9pm, with readings ranging from 64 to 96.
In its evening advisory, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said the 24-hour PSI for Sunday was expected to range from 80 to 130, spanning the moderate and unhealthy categories.
"Winds are expected to blow from the southwest or west, which could limit transport of smoke haze to Singapore," the agency said, adding that expected showers over Singapore and the surrounding region could help with haze conditions.
The winds are expected to continue blowing from the southwest or west on Monday and Tuesday.
"With showers expected over Singapore and the vicinity, the haze situation is likely to improve," said NEA.
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NEA has advised the public to refer to the 24-hour PSI forecast when planning outdoor activities and to check the latest 1-hour PM2.5 readings before undertaking immediate outdoor activities.
When hourly PM2.5 concentrations are in the elevated band, healthy individuals should reduce strenuous outdoor activities for the next hour.
Vulnerable groups, including children, elderly people, pregnant women and those with chronic heart or lung conditions, should avoid strenuous outdoor activities during that period.
For planning activities on Saturday, NEA advised healthy individuals to reduce prolonged or strenuous outdoor physical exertion, while elderly people, pregnant women and children should minimise such activities.
People with chronic heart or lung disease should avoid prolonged or strenuous outdoor physical exertion.
SINGAPORE STEPS UP ACTION AGAINST HAZE-LINKED FIRMS
The worsening haze comes as Singapore steps up efforts to identify and hold accountable companies that may have contributed to the fires.
On Friday, NEA issued notices to 10 Singapore-based companies under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, the first time it has done so since the law came into effect.
The companies, which are involved in the palm oil or forestry industries, have been asked to provide information on their corporate links, land concessions in Indonesia and measures taken to prevent and fight fires.
NEA is also seeking further information from 10 Indonesian companies that were issued notices over the past week.
Separately, the Ministry of Law announced plans to establish a specialist panel comprising legal, audit and investigative firms to examine companies potentially linked to the haze.
The panel will look into corporate structures, supply chains and business relationships across jurisdictions to help establish whether companies were involved in causing or condoning the fires.
