Dry, warmer weather may lead to haze risk in coming week: NEA
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Singapore is expected to experience warmer conditions in the coming week, with daily maximum temperatures of 35 deg C to 36 deg C on some days.
ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
SINGAPORE – Dry, warmer weather over the island and the surrounding region in the coming week may lead to more hot spot activity and the risk of haze.
Dry and warm conditions are expected from this weekend until the end of next week, said the National Environment Agency (NEA) in a Facebook post on March 20, adding that hot spots with smoke plumes were observed in Central Sumatra in Indonesia and Johor, Malaysia, on March 20.
The dry conditions, coupled with prevailing winds blowing from the north-east, may cause “an increase in hot spot activity and a continued risk of smoke haze”, the agency said.
Singapore is expected to experience warmer conditions in the coming week, with daily maximum temperatures reaching 35 deg C to 36 deg C on some days, NEA said.
To minimise the risk of heat stress and heat-related illnesses, the public can refer to the national heat stress advisory to make informed decisions on undertaking prolonged outdoor activities, it added.
The advisory, which provides tips on adjusting activities, taking protective measures and choosing attire based on the heat stress level, is available on the myENV app and at weather.gov.sg
“We are monitoring the overall air quality situation and will provide updates if necessary,” said NEA.
As at 7pm on March 20, the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index ranged from 45 to 57, falling within the good to moderate range, it said.
The Meteorological Service Singapore said in its fortnightly weather forecast on March 16 that the second half of the month is expected to be warmer and drier than the first two weeks of March.
The daily maximum temperatures during this period are likely to range from 34 deg C to 35 deg C, and may exceed 35 deg C on some days when there is less cloud coverage, it said.
Total rainfall over the upcoming two weeks is expected to be below average over most parts of the island, though short thundery showers are expected over parts of the island on some afternoons, added the weatherman.
