Delhi's air quality remains 'moderate' as strong winds clear pollutants

AQI was recorded at 172 at 8 am on March 7, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), and remained in the 'moderate' category for the sixth day

Delhi's air quality remained in the 'moderate' category on Friday, making it the sixth day when the Air quality index (AQI) has been under 200. The AQI was recorded at 172 at 8 am on March 7, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). This improvement is attributed to strong winds that helped clear the pollutants.

 

AQI across Delhi-NCR

Air quality has also showed significant improvement across Delhi-NCR as it remained in the 'moderate' or 'satisfactory' category. Delhi's 24-hour average AQI on March 6 at 4 pm was 124. Haryana's Gurugram had an AQI of 157, while Noida and Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh reported AQIs of 116 and 102, respectively.

 

The better air quality is mainly due to favourable weather conditions, including strong winds and light rainfall earlier in the week. The AQI is expected to remain in the 'moderate' category in the coming week.  READ: Delhi weather update: Warmer day ahead as mercury nears 30 degree Celsius

 

Grap Stage-I curbs lifted

With pollution levels easing, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) Sub-Committee lifted Stage-I restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across the National Capital Region (NCR) on Monday. This decision was based on improved weather conditions and higher mixing heights.

 

According to the CPCB, AQI is categorised as follows:

• 0–50 (Good)
• 51–100 (Satisfactory)
• 101–200 (Moderate)
• 201–300 (Poor)
• 301–400 (Very Poor)
• 401–500 (Severe)

Delhi weather forecast

After two days of chilly mornings and breezy conditions, Delhi woke up to a clear sky on Friday. The national capital continues to experience fluctuating weather conditions, with a mix of warm and cold spells. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted maximum temperatures to rise to 30 degrees Celsius from today, while the minimum will drop to 13 degrees Celsius. The relative humidity is 12 per cent and the wind speed is 12 kmph.