Category Archives: Alert 2

Activation of Alert Level 2 for the Mekong Sub-region

In recent weeks, persistent dry conditions over the Mekong sub-region have led to an escalation of hotspot and smoke haze activities. Based on surveillance by NOAA-20 satellite, 370 and 405 hotspots were detected in the Mekong sub-region on 8 and 9 Feb 2022, respectively.

In the coming days, some showers are forecast over the southern and eastern parts of the Mekong sub-region. However, the rest of the sub-region is expected to remain dry. The prevailing winds over the sub-region are expected to strengthen and blow from the northwest or northeast. Under these conditions, there is a risk of a deterioration in the hotspot and smoke haze situation and an increased likelihood of transboundary haze.

Activation of Alert Level 2 for the Mekong Sub-region

Dry weather in recent weeks over the Mekong sub-region has led to an escalation in the hotspot activities there. In particular, persistent hotspot clusters with smoke haze have been detected in Cambodia. Hotspots with smoke plumes have also been detected elsewhere in the Mekong sub-region. Based on surveillance by the NOAA-20 satellite, a total of 615 and 831 hotspots were detected in the Mekong sub-region on 12 and 13 Jan 2021 respectively.

The prevailing dry weather over the Mekong sub-region is expected to continue and the prevailing winds are forecast to blow from the north or northeast. Under these conditions, the hotspot and smoke haze situation there could deteriorate, and increase the risk of transboundary haze occurrence.

Downgrading of Alert Level 3 to Alert Level 2 for the Mekong sub-region

In recent days, an increase in shower activities has brought an improvement to the haze situation in the Mekong sub-region. Based on surveillance by the NOAA-20 satellite, the number of hotspots detected has been decreasing over the past week. A total of 888 and 603 hotspots were detected in the Mekong sub-region on 11 and 12 April respectively, a reduction from over 3000 hotspots detected in early April. Smoke haze has been confined in eastern Myanmar, the northern parts of Thailand and Lao PDR, and central Thailand.

In the coming days, showers are forecast over parts of the Mekong sub-region, and this is expected to bring a further improvement to the haze situation. Periods of dry weather can be expected, and hotspot activities and hazy conditions may still persist in some areas.

Activation of Alert Level 2 for the Mekong sub-region

Persistent dry weather in recent weeks over the Mekong sub-region has led to an escalation in the hotspot activities there. Based on surveillance by the NOAA-20 satellite, there has been a significant increase in the number of hotspots over the past two days, with 615 and 1200 hotspots detected on 4 Jan and 5 Jan respectively. In particular, scattered hotspots with smoke haze have been detected in Cambodia and Thailand. A significant build-up of smoke haze was observed over northern and eastern Cambodia, and some of the smoke haze is being blown to eastern Thailand by the prevailing northeasterly winds.

With the prevailing dry conditions over the Mekong sub-region forecast to persist, and the prevailing winds blowing from the northeast or east, a further deterioration in the hotspot and smoke haze situation in the Mekong sub-region and an increased risk of transboundary haze occurrence can be expected.

Downgrade of Alert Level 3 to Alert Level 2 for the southern ASEAN region

Recent showers and a change in wind conditions have brought an improvement to the haze situation in the region. Based on surveillance by the NOAA-20 satellite, 32 and 16 hotspots were detected in Sumatra, and 22 and 137 hotspots were detected in Kalimantan on 27 and 28 September 2019 respectively. Smoke haze continued to be observed in the vicinity of hotspots in southern Sumatra and in parts of Kalimantan.

In the coming days, the prevailing winds over the southern ASEAN region are forecast to gradually weaken, and an increase in shower activities is expected. However, some parts of the region can still experience periods of dry weather, and hotspot activities may persist in some areas of Sumatra and Kalimantan.

Activation of Alert Level 2 for the southern ASEAN region

In recent days, there has been an escalation in hotspot activities and a deterioration in the haze situation in parts of the southern ASEAN region. Persistent hotspot clusters were detected in Riau and Jambi provinces in Sumatra and Central Kalimantan. Moderate to dense smoke haze has been observed to emanate from the hotspot clusters, giving rise to significant accumulation of smoke haze over these areas. The smoke haze from hotspots in Riau and Jambi is being blown by the prevailing southerly and southeasterly winds toward the Strait of Malacca.

Based on surveillance by the NOAA-19 satellite, 21 and 3 hotspots were detected in Sumatra, and 38 and 39 hotspots were detected in Kalimantan on 31 July and 1 August 2019 respectively. The low hotspot counts detected in Sumatra were in part due to partial satellite pass.

To provide advance information on the potential occurrence of transboundary haze to facilitate early mitigation measures, ASMC takes into consideration factors including forecast of meteorological conditions (rainfall and prevailing winds, etc), smoke haze density, and hotspot density and location, in addition to hotspot count when assessing the risk of transboundary haze occurrence. In view that the prevailing dry weather in the southern ASEAN region is expected to persist in the coming weeks and the winds are forecast to continue blowing from the southeast or southwest, ASMC assessed that there could be a further escalation of hotspot activities and an increase in the risk of transboundary haze occurrence.

Downgrade of Alert Level 3 to Alert Level 2 for the Mekong sub-region

Since late March 2019, an increase in shower activities have helped to subdue hotspot activities in the southern Mekong sub-region. In recent days, the haze situation has further improved, and smoke haze from hotspots has been confined within Myanmar, and the northern parts of Thailand, Lao PDR and Viet Nam. The haze situation is expected to continue to improve with more rainy weather expected over the Mekong sub-region.

Based on surveillance by the NOAA-19 satellite, the total hotspot count in the Mekong sub-region have decreased from a high of 752 on 23 March 2019 to 70 and 59 on 22 and 23 April 2019 respectively.

Activation of Alert Level 2 for the Mekong sub-region

There has been an increase in hotspot activities in parts of the Mekong sub-region in recent days with persistent hotspot clusters and smoke haze observed in Cambodia. Isolated hotspots were also observed in Lao PDR and Thailand. Based on the NOAA-19 satellite, a total of 217 and 44 hotspots were detected in Cambodia on 7 and 8 Jan 2019 respectively.

With dry weather persisting over most parts of the Mekong sub-region in the coming days and prevailing winds blowing from the north or northeast, there could be a further escalation of hotspot activities and an increase in the risk of transboundary haze occurrence.

Activation of Alert Level 2 for the southern ASEAN region

Dry weather over the weekend has led to some deterioration of the haze situation in Sumatra and Kalimantan. The latest daytime satellite images show slight to moderate smoke haze from clusters of hotspots over peatlands in northern Riau being blown by the prevailing southwesterly winds toward the Strait of Malacca. In West Kalimantan, moderate to dense smoke haze from persistent hotspots has been observed, and the prevailing winds could blow the haze toward western Sarawak. In central Sarawak, smoke plumes could also be observed in the vicinity of hotspots.

Based on surveillance by the NOAA-19 satellite, 29 hotspots were detected on 11 August 2018 and 62 on 12 August 2018 in Sumatra. In Kalimantan, 2 hotspots were detected on 11 August 2018 and 3 on 12 August 2018 (the low hotspot count on both days was due to a partial satellite pass). There has also been a deterioration in the air quality in parts of Kalimantan and visibility in Pontianak has been reduced to 4 km due to haze conditions since this morning.

In the next several days, the prevailing dry weather and winds are expected to persist over Sumatra and Borneo. Notwithstanding the current relatively low hotspot count in Sumatra and Kalimantan, the expected dry weather and wind conditions could lead to the occurrence of transboundary smoke haze in some parts of the region.

Activation of Alert Level 2 for the southern ASEAN region

Increased hotspot activities were observed in Kalimantan and Sumatra recently due to drier weather prevailing over the region last week. Isolated hotspots and localised smoke plumes were detected in Sarawak, West, Central and South Kalimantan in the past few days. In Sumatra, a cluster of hotspots was observed in northern Riau. The smoke plumes were being blown northward by the prevailing winds over the Strait of Malacca. Based on surveillance by the NOAA-19 satellite, 6 and 12 hotspots were detected in Sumatra, and 11 and 1 hotspots were detected in Sarawak and Kalimantan on 15 and 16 July 2018 respectively.

Dry weather conditions are expected to persist for most parts of the southern ASEAN region in the coming weeks, and this could lead to further escalation of hotspot activities in the fire-prone areas.