Delhi weather update: Clear skies, strong winds expected, AQI 'moderate'

Delhi residents woke up to a pleasant morning on Tuesday as the city continues to enjoy a spell of relief from the heatwaves after light rain over the past week. Drizzles and a drop in the maximum temperature have kept the weather relatively cool in the national capital.

Today's forecast: Clear skies and strong winds

 

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast mainly clear skies that may become partly cloudy. The maximum temperature shall remain between 39 to 41 degrees Celsius while the minimum temperatures are likely to settle around 25 to 27 degrees Celsius. Sustained surface winds of speeds of 20–30 kmph will continue, occasionally going to 40 kmph. 

 

Weather forecast for the week

 

Residents can expect relief from the heat until today, with thunderstorms, rainfall, and a dip in maximum temperatures forecast. Thunderstorms accompanied by rain and gusty winds are likely to continue until today, with cloudy skies expected for the rest of the week. Strong surface winds, reaching speeds of 30–40 kmph during storms, will also be seen. According to the IMD, the maximum temperature is expected to hover around 40 degrees Celsius from May 14 to 17. 

 

Air quality remains in ‘moderate’ category

 

Air quality in Delhi remained in the ‘moderate’ category on Tuesday morning. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 137 at 7 am on May 13, compared to 131 at the same time a day earlier.

 

The AQI across Delhi-NCR also moved to the ‘moderate’ or ‘satisfactory’ category. Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI stood at 162 at 4 pm on May 12. In Gurugram, the AQI dropped to 92, placing it in the ‘satisfactory’ category. Noida and Greater Noida recorded AQIs of 125 and 104, respectively, while Ghaziabad’s AQI stood at 136. 

 

According to the CPCB, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 to 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 to 200 ‘moderate’, 201 to 300 ‘poor’, 301 to 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 to 500 ‘severe’.