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World desk3 min

What Causes Haze in Singapore, and How Does It Affect Air Quality?

Regional fires and prevailing winds can bring smoke haze to Singapore. Understand PM2.5, PSI, exposure guidance and how to check current air quality.
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Haze in Singapore is often smoke from forest and land fires elsewhere in the region, carried here by prevailing winds during dry conditions. Its main air-quality concern is fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which can affect outdoor air and enter buildings. For decisions, use NEA’s 1-hour PM2.5 readings for immediate outdoor activity and its 24-hour PSI forecast for planning; check the latest readings and health advice because conditions change.

What causes haze in Singapore?

Singapore’s haze can be transboundary: smoke from forest and land fires in the region is carried across borders by prevailing winds. Dry weather can help fires persist, while wind direction and persistence determine whether smoke reaches Singapore. The source area can vary from one episode to another; haze should not automatically be attributed to a single country or location. The National Environment Agency (NEA) and Meteorological Service Singapore host the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre, a regional collaboration that monitors forest fires and transboundary smoke haze. NEA’s haze guidance

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How wind and fires shaped recent episodes

During September 2026, NEA reported smoke plumes from southern Sumatra and Kalimantan drifting toward Singapore amid dry conditions and winds from southerly or southeasterly directions. These were conditions reported for that episode, not a fixed explanation for every haze event. NEA’s 5 September 2026 update and NEA’s 10 September 2026 update

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What is PM2.5, and how does haze affect air quality?

PM2.5 refers to fine particles 2.5 microns in size and below. NEA identifies it as the main pollutant of concern during smoke haze. These particles are small enough to enter air-conditioned buildings through fresh-air intakes and openings or gaps. NEA notes that indoor levels can accumulate to unhealthy levels and that particles can also adversely affect air-conditioning systems. Haze can therefore affect indoor air as well as outdoor visibility; being inside does not guarantee that exposure is eliminated. NEA: Managing Haze

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What does PSI mean, and which reading should I use?

The Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) indicates air-quality severity, including smoke-haze conditions. NEA describes PSI readings of 101 and above as unhealthy. PSI is a public guidance tool, not a diagnosis or a complete estimate of any one person’s risk. For practical decisions, NEA distinguishes the readings by time horizon:

Measure What it tells you When to use it
1-hour PM2.5 Recent fine-particle levels. Use for immediate outdoor activity decisions.
24-hour PSI and forecast Overall air-quality severity over a longer period and the forecast outlook. Use with the relevant health advisory to plan ahead.

These are different views of air quality, not interchangeable numbers. Read each alongside NEA’s advice for the relevant population group. The agency’s 10 September 2026 update explains the distinction.

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Historical readings are snapshots, not current conditions

NEA reported that central Singapore’s 24-hour PSI reached 101 at 7am on 4 September 2026, entering the unhealthy range for the first time since 8 October 2023. The agency’s 4 September 2026 update

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On 14 September 2026 at 6pm, NEA reported 1-hour PM2.5 readings of 56–115 μg/m³ and a 24-hour PSI range of 88–117; it linked the smoke transport to east-southeasterly winds and fires in Kalimantan and southern Sumatra. NEA’s 14 September update

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At 6pm on 29 September 2026, NEA reported a 24-hour PSI range of 107–157 across Singapore as smoke haze from Kalimantan fires drifted toward the island. These dated figures describe those moments only and should not be read as current air quality. NEA’s 29 September update

NEA’s State of the Environment report lists 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2019 as years when Singapore’s air quality was affected by transboundary haze. It also records that PM2.5 was added to the PSI computation in 2014. NEA State of the Environment report

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Is it safe to exercise outdoors during haze?

There is no single reading that determines what is safe for everyone. NEA says health effects depend on a person’s health status, PSI level, and the duration and intensity of outdoor activity. Its advisories provide different recommendations for healthy people; older people, pregnant people and children; and people with chronic lung or heart disease. When conditions are unhealthy, guidance for reducing, minimising or avoiding prolonged or strenuous outdoor exertion varies by group. Check the current advisory and 1-hour PM2.5 before deciding on immediate activity, and use the 24-hour PSI forecast for planning. Seek medical advice for individual health concerns.

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Where can I check Singapore’s PSI?

For current conditions, check NEA’s Managing Haze page, the latest haze updates, haze.gov.sg, or the myENV app. Use the current readings and group-specific health advice rather than relying on an older news report or a copied episode figure. NEA’s myENV app guide describes the app’s features.

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