Moisture, low wind speed leave Delhi's air quality 'very poor'

Haze shrouded the national capital today as weather conditions marked by moisture and calm wind kept the level of pollutants on the higher side and the air quality 'very poor'.
Although the 24-hour-average air quality was a shade better than yesterday, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recorded it at 399, just two notches below 'severe'.
The average (rolling) levels of PM 10 and PM 2.5, microscopic particulates suspended in the air, were 182 and 314 micrograms per cubic metre (ug/m3) as per the readings of System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).
Nearly all the eight centres run by SAFAR had an air quality index of 'very poor'.

Delhi Pollution Control Committee's (DPCC) real-time readings around 6 PM were as alarming as ever. At Anand Vihar, PM 2.5 and PM 10 were recorded as 273 and 614 ug/m3, as against the prescribed standards of 60 and 100.
Weather officials said wind speed, a major factor that help disperse pollutants, will remain on the lower side over the next few days and consequently the current spell of fog will persist.
According to a MeT department official, the visibility was recorded at 400 metres at 5.30 AM, which dropped to 100 metres three hours later.
Relative humidity was recorded at 97 percent at 8:30 AM. Minimum temperature was recorded at 8.7 degrees Celsius, considered as normal for the season.