After a clean air spell, Delhi's AQI plunges into 'poor category'

Delhites woke up witnessing a cloudy morning and the air quality plunged into the poor category. The overall air quality index (AQI) was 280, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) on Friday.

Some areas in the national capital including Pusa Road, Lodhi Road, IIT Delhi and Ayanagar recorded air quality in the poor category with an AQI of 249, 235, 249 and 239 respectively.

According to SAFAR, AQI between the range of 51 and 100 is considered as 'satisfactory' or 'very good', 101-200 is 'moderate', 201-300 falls under the category of 'poor'. While 300-400 is considered as 'very poor', levels between 401-500 fall under the 'hazardous' category.

The AQI yesterday, however, was in the 'moderate' category with an AQI of 163.

SAFAR in its daily report stated: "The overall Delhi air quality is in the 'poor' category. Surface winds are calm. Thunderstorms with gusty winds and local dust lifting are likely at isolated places today and tomorrow. An increase in wind speed and ventilation is expected on March 12. AQI is likely to stay in the poor to 'moderate' category for the next two days. Moderate AQI is forecasted for March 14."

Delhi-NCR witnessed a change in weather, as the skies turn dark.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) tweeted: "Recent radar images of Srinagar, Delhi, Paradip, and Satellite image show convective clouds over parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, North Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana Chandigarh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, East and north Rajasthan, Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Kerala and Mahe and Karnataka. Isolated thunderstorm/lightning/gusty winds with precipitation very likely over parts of these sub-divisions during next 3-4 hours."

"Thunderstorm with light to moderate intensity rain would occur over entire Delhi and over and adjoining areas of Kaithal, Meham, Rohtak, Gannaur, Gohana, Sonipat, Kharkhoda, Panipat, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Rajound, Assand, Safidon, Hansi, Hissar, Jind, Siwani, Tosham, Charki-dadri, Jhajjar, Farukhnagar, Sohna, Palwal, Aurangabad, Manesar, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ballabgarh, (Haryana), Noida, Greater-Noida, Ghaziabad, Modinagar, Hapur, Pilakhua, Meerut, Pahasu, Narora, Khataoli, Baraut, Baghpath, Shikarpur, Gurmukhteshwar, Siyana, Bulandshahar, Jahangirabad, Khurja, Loni-dehat, Shamli, Khekra, Aligarh, Amroha, Dadri, Indirapuram, Gulaothi, Jattari, Khair (U.P) during next 2 hours," tweeted IMD.