Singapore’s air quality has significantly improved, shifting back to the good-to-moderate range on October 22, after enduring 18 days of unhealthy conditions due to haze. The improvement allows residents to resume outdoor activities as the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) recorded values ranging from 71 to 99 island-wide at 3 p.m.
The western region of Singapore was the last area to transition out of the unhealthy air quality category, with PSI reducing from 101 to 99, marking the end of a period that began on October 5 when the index exceeded the 101 threshold. Meanwhile, fine particulate matter levels, specifically PM2.5, stayed within the normal range, with one-hour readings between 16 and 39 micrograms per cubic meter.
Despite these improvements, regional haze remains a concern. Satellite data indicate ongoing hotspots in Indonesia, although prevailing winds have thus far diverted much of the resulting smoke away from Singapore. Other areas such as Peninsular Malaysia, Kalimantan, Sumatra, and western Sarawak continue to face denser pollution levels.