Delhi air quality stays 'poor' despite rainfall, many areas cross 300 mark

Delhi woke up to dense fog after rainfall on January 23 as the pollution levels remained high, with overall AQI at 256 and several hotspots recording 'very poor' air quality

Delhi, along with the National Capital Region, woke up to dense fog on Saturday morning, a day after parts of the city received rainfall. While the rain briefly improved visibility and brought temporary relief from the choking smog, air pollution levels remained elevated showing the persistent winter pollution challenge in the capital.

 

According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 256 at 8 am, placing it in the ‘poor’ category. Several monitoring stations across the city recorded significantly higher readings, with Anand Vihar touching the 300-mark, indicating ‘very poor’ air quality. Many other stations also breached the 300 threshold during the morning hours.

 

Brief respite, but pollution remains

The rainfall on Friday helped settle some dust and particulate matter, offering a short-lived respite. However, such intermittent showers are often insufficient to bring sustained improvement during winter, when meteorological conditions favour the accumulation of pollutants.

 

Low wind speeds, high moisture levels and dense fog during early morning hours tend to trap pollutants close to the surface, limiting dispersion. As a result, air quality typically deteriorates again soon after the immediate effects of rainfall wear off.

Health concerns persist as AQI remains high

With air quality lingering in the ‘poor’ to ‘very poor’ range, health concerns remain, particularly for vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly and those with respiratory or cardiac ailments. Medical experts advise avoiding prolonged outdoor activities and recommend precautions during peak pollution hours.

 

Particulate matter, especially PM2.5 and PM10, continues to be the dominant pollutant during the winter season, exacerbated by vehicular emissions, construction activity and unfavourable weather conditions.

Weather outlook for today

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi is likely to see generally cloudy skies on Saturday, with moderate fog during morning hours. Strong surface winds of 10–20 kmph are expected later in the day, which may offer some marginal improvement in dispersion.

 

Minimum temperatures are forecast to remain low, with a sharp fall expected over the next few days, potentially prolonging foggy conditions and delaying any significant improvement in air quality.