Saturday, October 07, 2006

Hazy Days

Hazy Days Non Hazy Days
How different it is!

The haze has finally entered the unhealthy range after weeks of hazy weather. Is this a repeat of 1997 again?

Edit: With the return of the haze, my mom was reminded of 1997's PSI 226 when my granddad passed away due to the effects of the bad air quality. Having already suffered from lung problems having been a quarry worker most of his life, my then 75yearsold grandfather was at extreme high risk being elderly and having poor respiratory system. The hazardous air quality did not help either. He apparently started coughing badly and died on 1 Oct 1997, exactly 75 years from the day he was born. Only 6 days after his 8 years death anniversary, the haze is back. For some reason, I never remembered that he passed away due to the haze but hearing this from my mom right now brings back sharp poignant memories.

CNA reported at 7.45pm today (7 Oct)

"At 7pm, the pollutant standards index (PSI) was recorded at 126.

The highest PSI reading for the year was 130 at 10am on Saturday morning, and the all-time high was 226 in 1997.

The 3-hour PSI reading first entered the unhealthy range at 8am on Saturday morning, with a PSI reading of 101.

It recovered to moderate levels in the early afternoon but fell back later in the day."

Exactly one month ago on 7 Sept, CNA reported the beginning of hazy weathers in Singapore over the next months but then was optimistic in reporting NEA's statement that "air quality is not expected to go into the unhealthy range and it will continue to monitor the situation closely".

Upon examination of the PSI records over the last 1 month by NEA, it does appear this way but then situation suddenly exacerbated over the last few days! In fact, latest record at 8pm is the highest so far at 143! See NEA PSI Records.

Lets all hope this ends soon before getting any worse!

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