Environment | Weather bureau warns poor air quality will persist today

The Macau Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG) has warned that its air monitoring stations across the territory are recording a high concentration of ozone particles and other pollutants.

Yesterday the air quality index for parts of the Macau SAR exceeded 100 – the base level for the ‘unhealthy’ classification. The SMG advises that residents avoid outdoor activities when the index exceeds 100.

Moreover, due to unfavorable wind and cloud conditions, the particles are not expected to dissipate until tomorrow at the earliest.

People with respiratory problems have been warned to limit their physical exertion and certain outdoor activities until the ‘unhealthy’ air quality index classification is no longer in force.

According to the latest information on the SMG website, the general daily air quality index forecast for today is expected to be “moderate-bad” for much of the Macau Peninsula (80-110 on the index), as well as Coloane (75-105), while it will be “moderate” for the residential area in northern Taipa (65-95).

“This morning [yesterday], ozone concentrations increased significantly in all air quality monitoring stations in Macau,” said a spokesperson from the SMG, according to Radio Macau. “The wind is weak, which does not favor the dissipation of pollutants, and the sky was slightly cloudy, which gave rise to the increase of this photochemical pollutant. Around noon, the influence of PM2.5 reduced visibility in the region to less than 5 km.”

“The air quality situation is expected to continue, unchanged tomorrow [today], and only improve when the wind intensifies,” the SMG spokesperson informed yesterday.