SINGAPORE - Mr Carson Boey had to cut his cycling route short after he experienced bad weather and humidity due to the haze on Saturday.

Spotted taking a break in the shade with his bicycle, the 34-year-old project manager had cycled from his home in Punggol to Marina Bay Sands (MBS), and had plans to go to East Coast Park and Changi before looping back home.

“But the weather now is super bad and hot, and the haze makes it seem more humid,” he said, adding that he would cut short his cycle and return directly to Punggol.

People across the island experienced poor air quality on Saturday morning, when the air quality was recorded to have entered the unhealthy range.

The 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) readings ranged between 63 and 112 at noon, with the highest recorded reading in the east. As at 7pm, the PSI in the eastern part of Singapore was 122.

Some people were spotted wearing masks in the Bedok area.

Mr Victor Chan, a 42-year-old project manager, and his three-year-old son were donning masks as they wanted to take precautions amid the haze as well as the increase in Covid-19 cases.

PSI readings of 101 to 200 are in the unhealthy range, for which the National Environment Agency (NEA) advises the public to cut down on outdoor activities.

In the Marina Bay area on Saturday afternoon, a slight layer of haze atop buildings greeted visitors. The thick haze dulled all colour, even as people tried to take pictures against the iconic backdrop.

A pair of Libyan tourists, who did not want to be named, were taking pictures with the view of the bay behind them. 

One of them said it was the second day of their week-long trip, and they were not aware of the haze situation, thinking it was a fog. 

“We have not been to Singapore before and didn’t expect it to be like this. We plan to come back another day when it is hopefully better,” he said.

Similarly, another tourist from Canada said she was looking forward to getting a better view of the sea, which was then just a foggy scene due to the haze.

Ms Amanda Prentice, 38, along with her four children, were taking shelter from the heat at East Coast Park while sharing an ice cream.

“We are quite used to the haze, as we did have the forest fires back home,” she said.

Canada experienced its worst-ever wildfire season in 2023, with every one of its 13 provinces and territories affected, and thousands of people evacuated.

The fire had spread across about 15.3 million ha, an area roughly the size of Bangladesh.

“Unless the haze gets really bad, we would not want to change our plans to see as much as we can of Singapore,” Ms Prentice said.

However, it was business as usual for some, who said that they will continue to monitor the haze till it gets worse.

University students Kenme Lam and Leah Tan, both 21, were at the MBS boardwalk with their dogs.

Ms Lam said they had planned a few days ago to take the dogs out together, but because of the haze, they were walking the dogs less and taking more breaks in the shade, as well as keeping them hydrated.

“I don’t think the haze is as bad now as it was some years ago, it’s not affecting my breathing, so I don’t foresee myself wearing a mask unless it gets really bad.”

Mr Abdul Aziz, manager of restaurant Tash Tish Tosh, said that he will wait for more information before implementing any changes, including whether the restaurant will halt outdoor dining.

A check at the Guardian outlet at MBS found plenty of surgical masks available, though a shop assistant said it was not selling any N95 masks. Only one person had asked about masks on Saturday morning, she added.

In response to queries from The Straits Times, a spokeswoman for FairPrice said the supermarket chain had sufficient mask stocks, and advised customers to buy only what they need for personal use so that masks remain available to all.

Mr Japar Sadiq, owner of Firman Shah, a convenience store and money changer at a corner of Bedok Mall, said that his shop does not carry N95 masks. 

“The normal masks that I ordered from two weeks ago are still here,” he added.

Sporting events in Singapore over this weekend have also enforced their own protocols in the light of the poor air quality.

Mr Krirkchai Boonprasert, tournament director of the Asian Tour and host of the International Series Singapore held at Tanah Merah Country Club, said that the organisers are carefully monitoring the haze situation as the welfare of attendees is a priority. He added that measures will be taken if the air quality deteriorates on Sunday.

Amateur golfer Ryan Ang, the only Singaporean left in the tournament, said he was unable to see holes 16 and 17 clearly.

“The haze is pretty bad, I’m just trying to get out as fast as I can,” the 24-year-old said. “Hopefully, it clears up by tomorrow because quite a lot of players are suffering out there because of the heat as well.”

Singapore Rugby Union vice-president George Danapal said the union will be adhering to guidelines set by the authorities. These include monitoring PSI levels and tracking players with respiratory conditions.

In response to queries from ST, the Singapore Hockey Federation (SHF) said: “The SHF has drawer plans that are based on Sport Singapore guidelines, plans that have been fine-tuned over the years and are still in force today.”

It added that the final call for league matches will be made by the umpires.

In an e-mail to parents that was seen by ST, swimming school aquaDucks said that lessons will be suspended in the event that the one-hour PM2.5 (south zone) reaches 91 and above. It added that lessons may be suspended to protect the children and coaches.

In a statement on Friday night, NEA said that it will start to provide daily haze advisories from Saturday evening, after the number of hot spots in Sumatra increased the likelihood of haze this weekend. The agency said 212 hot spots were detected on Friday, up from 65 on Thursday and 15 the day before.

Air quality worsened due to the change in wind direction on Friday afternoon that caused some of the lighter haze to blow towards Singapore, as satellite imagery showed smoke plumes and haze over southern and central Sumatra.