Singapore’s haze eased over September 20, 2026, but the improvement was uneven. The east and west were back in the moderate 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) range by early afternoon; central Singapore remained unhealthy until the evening.
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How the PSI changed during the day
At 6am, the 24-hour PSI stood at 123 in central Singapore, 102 in the east and 105 in the west—all above the unhealthy threshold of 100. Central Singapore had crossed into the unhealthy range the previous afternoon.
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By 1pm, the east had fallen to 87 and the west to 97, both moderate. Central Singapore was still unhealthy at 107. Its reading reached 100 at 7pm, bringing all regions back into the moderate range. Singapore classifies a 24-hour PSI of 51–100 as moderate and 101–200 as unhealthy.
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What the morning readings say—and do not say—about the races
The 24-hour PSI and the one-hour PM2.5 reading describe different time periods. At 9am, one-hour PM2.5 readings were in the normal band across all five regions, even though some 24-hour PSI readings were unhealthy.
6 That contrast provides context for outdoor activity decisions, but the available sources do not identify the two races or document their organisers’ reasons for proceeding. It would be misleading to attribute those decisions to the PM2.5 readings alone.
What NEA reported and forecast
In its September 20 update, the National Environment Agency (NEA) reported moderate to dense smoke plumes from fires in Kalimantan and southern and central Sumatra. It also observed smoke haze from Sumatra drifting towards Singapore. At 5pm, NEA put the 24-hour PSI across Singapore at 71–102, spanning the moderate and unhealthy ranges, and forecast a moderate to low-unhealthy 24-hour PSI.
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The evening return to moderate readings therefore described conditions at that time, not a guarantee that haze would stay below the unhealthy threshold.
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