GEORGE TOWN: Penangites experienced a brief moment of reprieve from the haze, with scattered showers throughout the state this afternoon.
The rain brought a momentary coolness to the atmosphere, which had been hot and humid previously.
The Air Pollutant Index (API) reading for the Seberang Jaya 2 station on the mainland had been hovering close to unhealthy levels at 98 as early as 6am today.
The reading at the station gradually increased and crossed into the unhealthy territory of 101 at 10am, only dropping a notch at 3pm today.
The levels registered at the Perai and USM stations, on the other hand, remained in the mid-80s, with the current readings at 84 as at 3pm.