More rainfall is expected in Singapore around the last quarter of 2016, reducing the annual transboundary haze problems in the country, Masagos Zulkifli, the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, said on Monday.
"Therefore we hope that with more rain, there will be less haze episodes that come to us," Masagos told AFP.
However, he also said that weather is very unpredictable and hence they cannot be completely sure about the rainfall. "Dry spells take its toll over a longer period, and forests continue to be burned, particularly peat and forests, then we will particularly be affected by this," he added.
Meanwhile, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said that this year the weather conditions are "expected to be less conducive for hotspot activities as compared to 2015".
NEA said that according to the assessments of model outlooks from international climate centres there is a possibility of La Nina developing in the third quarter of this year. But, rainfall is expected to be above normal during the span from June to September.
"However, as there could still be extended periods of drier weather, escalation of hotspot activities can occur which may lead to transboundary haze and Singapore could be affected if the winds blow the haze towards Singapore," NEA added.
The agency also said that the region is experiencing neutral conditions at present. It is neither seeing El Nino nor La Nina.
