Delhi's air quality deteriorates to 'poor' again as days turn warmer

Delhi's air quality deteriorated to the 'poor' category on Monday after remaining 'moderate' for the past four days. The air quality index (AQI) stood at 258 at 8 am on February 10, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Reasons for the rise in AQI

The increase in AQI could be attributed to unfavourable weather conditions. While strong winds had been improving air quality, the weather has now become warmer with reduced wind speeds. Additionally, the effect of the rainfall that occurred in the first week of February appears to be fading.

 

The city’s 24-hour average AQI was 227 (‘poor’) at 4 pm on February 9, a significant rise from 152 (‘moderate’) recorded at the same time on February 8.

Is there any relief soon?

Forecasts from the Centre’s Early Warning System for Delhi (EWS) indicate that air quality will remain in the ‘poor’ category until Tuesday, with a likelihood of improvement to ‘moderate’ on Wednesday.

 

The six-day forecast suggests that the AQI will fluctuate between ‘poor’ and ‘moderate’ in the coming days.

 

The CPCB classifies AQI levels as follows: 0-50 (‘good’), 51-100 (‘satisfactory’), 101-200 (‘moderate’), 201-300 (‘poor’), 301-400 (‘very poor’), and above 400 (‘severe’).

Delhi weather forecast

A day after experiencing warm and sunny weather, Delhi residents can expect to witness smog and shallow fog on Monday. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the minimum temperature is expected to drop to 9 degrees Celsius, while the maximum may reach 27 degrees Celsius. The IMD predicts smog and shallow fog in the morning, followed by mist and a clear sky. Temperatures in the capital are expected to fluctuate between 9 degrees Celsius and 25 degrees Celsius over the next few days.