Delhi air quality improves to 'moderate' after rain; AQI drops to 188

Dense fog covered Delhi on Monday, but rainfall and improved wind conditions helped bring the city's overall air quality down to the 'moderate' category, offering brief relief after days of 'poor' air

Delhi residents woke up to a dense layer of fog on Monday, even as air quality in the national capital showed notable improvement. The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 188 at 8 am, placing it in the ‘moderate’ category, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

 

Among the city’s monitoring stations, Jahangirpuri recorded the worst air quality with an AQI of 277, followed by Wazirpur at 256. The Anand Vihar station logged an AQI of 242, a level also recorded at 15 other locations. In contrast, 21 stations reported air quality in the ‘moderate’ range.

 

Lodhi Road registered the best air quality in the city with an AQI of 116, followed closely by Mandir Marg at 117.

 

Other areas with high AQI readings included:

• Dwarka-Sector 8: 240 
• Nehru Nagar: 248 
• Okhla Phase-2: 240 
• Sirifort: 244 
• R K Puram: 232

As per CPCB classification, AQI values between 201 and 300 fall under the ‘poor’ category, while readings between 301 and 400 are considered ‘very poor’. An AQI of 401 or above is classified as ‘severe’.

 

Flight operations under CAT III conditions

 

Dense fog continued to affect aviation operations at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. In a passenger advisory issued at 9 am, airport authorities said flights were operating under CAT III conditions, which allow landings in very low visibility.

 

Passengers were advised to stay in touch with their respective airlines for the latest updates and to check real-time winter travel information on the airport’s official website.

 

Why did air quality improve?

 

The improvement in air quality was attributed to rainfall on Sunday, coupled with favourable meteorological conditions such as improved wind speed, which helped disperse pollutants.

 

Best January AQI in four years

 

According to data from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), January 2025 recorded an average AQI of 306, making it the cleanest January since 2022, when the monthly average stood at 279. January 2026 now ranks as the second-best January during this period.

 

CREA noted that the presence of two ‘severe’ air quality days this January, compared with none last year, likely pushed the monthly average slightly higher. The air quality early warning system has forecast ‘very poor’ air quality for January 31.

 

Delhi weather outlook

 

The national capital is likely to witness a generally cloudy sky, with dense fog expected at many places during the forenoon.

 

The minimum temperature was recorded at 10.4 degrees Celsius, while the maximum is expected to range between 20 and 22 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature is around four degrees above normal for this time of the year, compared with 6.7 degrees Celsius a day earlier.

 

Forecasts suggest the minimum temperature may dip to between seven and nine degrees Celsius by Friday, before rising by one to two degrees Celsius over the weekend with the arrival of another western disturbance.