Delhi's air quality 'very poor'; max temp settles at 18 degrees Celsius

Delhi's air quality deteriorated to the very poor category on Tuesday due to low wind speed while the city's maximum temperature settled at 18 degrees Celsius, three notches below the season's average.

The 24-hour air quality index (AQI) of Delhi read 305 at 4 pm, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.

However, the AQIs of its neighbouring cities -- Faridabad (300), Ghaziabad (286), Gurugram (283), Greater Noida (288) and Noida (274) -- were recorded in the 'poor' category.

Light rain is likely today (Tuesday) and tomorrow (Wednesday) due to western disturbance that may improve AQI further to upper end of 'moderate' or 'lower end of poor'. On 30th, 31st (December) and 1st (January) winds are likely to be low reducing ventilation of pollutants and AQI is expected to be within 'poor' category, the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) said.

From 2nd (January) onwards improvement in AQI is likely due to relatively high winds, it said.

The AQI was recorded in the 'severe' category on Sunday evening at 459. On Monday morning, it was 373 which in the evening entered the poor category with AQI 283.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

On Tuesday, the minimum temperature was recorded at 9.4 degrees Celsius, two notches above the season's average while the maximum temperature was recorded at 18 degrees Celsius, three degrees below the normal, the weather office said.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted shallow fog on Wednesday.

The minimum and maximum temperatures of Wednesday will hover around 8 and 20 degrees Celsius respectively, the IMD said.

The weather office said that the relative humidity at 5.30 pm on Tuesday was 90 per cent.

On Monday, the minimum temperature stood at 10.4 degrees Celsius, three notches above the season's average while the maximum temperature was logged at 22.6 degrees Celsius, two degrees above normal.