Delhi’s air quality stayed in the “very poor” category for a fourth straight day on Tuesday, even as wind speed was expected to drop due to a western disturbance and worsen the situation.
The 24-hour rolling average air quality index (AQI) of 311 (very poor) at 9am was marginally higher than the Monday 4pm reading of 309 (very poor) when the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) releases its daily national bulletin.
Wind Drops Sharply On Tuesday
Meteorological experts said the wind speed will drop sharply on Tuesday and almost become calm on Wednesday because of a western disturbance. The Early Warning System (EWS) forecast for Delhi said that the AQI is likely to remain “very poor” on both days.
EWS, which comes under the Ministry of Earth Sciences and is managed by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), on Sunday said that the AQI is likely to touch “severe” on Tuesday.
Also Read: Smog Returns to Delhi: AQI Crosses 400 in Several Areas Amid Fog & Calm Winds
AQI Continues to Be Very Poor in National Capital
No forecast was issued by the IITM on Monday. An updated one issued on Tuesday showed the AQI is expected to stay “very poor.” The Decision Support System, which gives the estimated contribution of sources to Delhi’s PM 2.5, has not been updated since Monday. IITM did not comment on why this was the case.
The CPCB categorizes an AQI within a range of 0-50 as “good,” 51 to 100 as “satisfactory,” 101 to 200 as “moderate,” 201 to 300 as “poor,” 301 to 400 as “very poor,” and above 400 as “severe.” Delhi is yet to report a “severe” air day since December 23, 2024, when the AQI was 406.
38 Places Which Come Under Severe Zone
Data from CPCB’s Sameer app at 9am showed at least four out of the 38 active stations in the “severe” zone, including Alipur (421), Anand Vihar (412), Bawana (402), and Wazirpur (407).
At least three stations were in the “moderate” zone. They included IGI Airport (193), Lodhi Road (153), and Aurobindo Marg (146).
Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 31.5°C on Monday, which was a degree above normal, while the minimum was 16.5°C, a degree below normal. The mercury is likely to reach 28-30°C on Tuesday and Wednesday owing to overcast skies.
The temperature is likely to dip by another degree from Thursday as cold northwesterly winds return. The minimum temperature is expected to dip below 15°C from Thursday.
Also Read: Delhi NCR Air Turns Toxic: AQI Crosses 300 in Multiple Areas
