After sporadic drizzle, Delhi's air quality improves; poor visibility causes flight diversions

After a spell of sporadic but consistent drizzle, the air quality in the national capital on Monday entered the "satisfactory" category but after Tuesday, the air quality index may deteriorate, according to weather predictions.

Due to low visibility at Delhi airport on early Monday morning, ten flights, including one international flight, have been diverted so far, airport sources said.

Most of the diversions have been due to non-compliance for Cat III B operations.

CAT III-B Instrument Landing System (ILS) that allows flights to land safely in low visibility with Runway Visual Range (RVR) of up to 50m with a decision height of 15m.

"Overall air quality over Delhi is in satisfactory category after a sporadic but consistent drizzle. AQI may slightly buildup but predicted to remain in moderate category until tomorrow and thereafter will oscillate between moderate to poor," according to SAFAR.

Maximum temperature recorded on March 3 at Safdarjung Observatory was 22.7 Degree Celsius, which was minus 4 degree departure from the normal at this time of the year. The minimum temperature recorded at 11.2 degree Celsius which was minus two degree departure from normal, reported IMD.

A rainfall of 0.2 mm of rainfall was recorded from 0830 p.m of March 2 to 0830 a.m of March 3. A total of 77 per cent relative humidity was recorded on March 3 at 5:30 pm.

Generally cloudy sky with light rain is predicted on Monday and shallow fog is predicted over the national capital for the coming few days.

According to private forecasting agency, Delhi is likely to witness an extended winter season till March 6 due to the cold wind and intense western disturbances.