Singapore haze worsens as central region’s air quality nears 2026 high, smoke from Indonesia continues to drift in

People visit the Supertree Grove at Gardens by the Bay on a hazy day in Singapore October 8, 2026. — AFP pic

By Malay Mail

First Published: Friday, 09 Oct 2026 8:49 AM MYT

SINGAPORE, Oct 9 — Singapore’s haze showed no signs of easing this morning, with air quality remaining unhealthy across all five regions and pollution in the central region approaching its highest level this year.

At 8am, the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) in the central region stood at 166, just one point below the year’s peak of 167 recorded there on September 29, according to The Straits Times.

The west recorded a PSI of 161, followed by the south at 145, east at 140 and north at 113.

Air quality is classified as unhealthy when the PSI, which measures six major pollutants over a rolling 24-hour period, falls between 101 and 200.

Pollution levels have remained largely within the unhealthy range across Singapore over the past 24 hours, although some regions briefly recorded moderate readings between 6pm yesterday and 1am today.

By 2am, however, all five regions had returned to unhealthy levels.

The situation was particularly concerning in the west, where hourly PM2.5 readings — which measure fine particulate matter and provide a more immediate indication of air quality — reached 152 at 8am, entering the high pollution band.

Readings elsewhere remained elevated, with the south recording 146, central region 137, east 115 and north 85.

PM2.5 readings between 56 and 150 are considered elevated, while those between 151 and 250 fall within the high band.

In its daily advisory yesterday evening, Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) warned that air quality could remain in the high moderate to mid-unhealthy range.

The agency said moderate to dense smoke plumes from southern and central Sumatra and West Kalimantan in neighbouring Indonesia had been observed drifting towards Singapore.

Dry conditions were also expected to persist in the affected Indonesian territories, raising the prospect of continued haze.

“Under the prevailing south-easterly or southerly winds, smoke haze may continue to drift towards Singapore,” NEA said.