Delhi rings in New Year with 'very poor' air; IMD issues rain alert

Average AQI stood at 372 on January 1, with eight stations in the severe category and low visibility disrupting travel across the capital as the IMD issued a rain alert

Delhi’s air quality on the first day of 2026 remained in the ‘very poor’ category as dense fog enveloped the city, reducing visibility.

 

The average air quality index (AQI) in the national capital stood at 372 at 8 am, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 418, while eight of Delhi’s 39 monitoring stations reported ‘severe’ levels. Twenty-eight stations recorded ‘very poor’ air quality, with most readings hovering close to the 400 mark. Only NSIT Dwarka recorded a relatively lower AQI of 280, classified as ‘poor’. Data from Lodhi Road, North Campus, and Pusa were unavailable at the time of writing.

 

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Areas with the highest AQI today:

• Jahangirpuri – 411
• Mundka – 409
• Narela – 401
• Rohini – 413
• Vivek Vihar – 404
• Sonia Vihar – 421
• Wazirpur – 414

How does the CPCB classify AQI levels?

The CPCB classifies AQI levels as follows: 0–50 ‘good’, 51–100 ‘satisfactory’, 101–200 ‘moderate’, 201–300 ‘poor’, 301–400 ‘very poor’, and 401–500 ‘severe’.

Delhi sees best AQI in 7 yrs

According to official data, Delhi recorded a notable improvement in air quality in 2025. Excluding the Covid-affected year 2020, the average levels of PM2.5 and PM10 in 2025 were the lowest in the past seven years.

 

At the same time, since 2018 (excluding 2020), 2025 also recorded the highest number of days when the AQI fell under the ‘good’ and ‘satisfactory’ categories.

 

Data show that a total of 79 days in 2025 recorded an AQI between 0 and 100, which falls under the ‘good’ and ‘satisfactory’ categories. This is the second-highest figure since 2020, when pollution levels dropped significantly due to restrictions imposed during the pandemic.

 

In comparison, 66 such days were recorded in 2024, 61 days in 2023, and 53 days in 2018. For the National Capital Region and surrounding areas, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), constituted in 2021, has attributed this improvement to consistent policy measures and effective action on the ground.

 

Since its formation, the commission has issued several guidelines, advisories, and directions to control pollution sources, while ensuring year-round coordination among all concerned agencies.

 

Despite challenging weather conditions, only eight days in 2025 saw the AQI remain in the ‘very poor’ to ‘severe plus’ categories, the second-lowest figure since 2018. By comparison, 25 such days were recorded in 2019.

Travel disruptions today

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), visibility at Delhi’s IGI Airport was around 500 metres at 8 am.

 

Low visibility prompted airlines such as IndiGo and Air India to issue travel advisories for Delhi and northern India, warning of possible flight delays on Wednesday. Delhi airport had also cautioned passengers a day earlier, though operations were reported to be running smoothly as visibility improved.

 

However, severe fog and extremely low visibility led to widespread disruption at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) on Wednesday, with over 100 flights cancelled and several others delayed.

Rain likely in Delhi today

For today, the IMD has forecast a generally cloudy sky over Delhi, with the possibility of very light to light rain at isolated places. Moderate fog is expected at many locations, with dense fog at isolated pockets during morning hours. Cold day conditions may prevail at isolated places, prompting the IMD to issue a yellow alert for the national capital.

 

Minimum temperatures in Delhi are likely to remain between 9 and 11 degrees Celsius, while maximum temperatures may hover around 14 to 16 degrees Celsius.

 

(With inputs from ANI)