E-Paper
Chandigarh’s AQI turns poor for few hours due to western disturbance
At the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station (CAAQMS) in Sector 22 of Chandigarh, the average AQI for 24 hours went up from 181 at 12 noon to 245 at 1:00 pm on Thursday. It peaked at 278 at 2:00 pm and came below 200 at 5:00 pm.
With a western disturbance active in the city on Thursday, the air quality index (AQI), which had remained below 200 since the day after Diwali, November 5, went past 200 for a few hours on Thursday. The effects of the western disturbance are likely to stay for about a day more as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
At the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station (CAAQMS) in Sector 22 the average AQI for 24 hours went up from 181 at 12 noon to 245 at 1:00 pm on Thursday. It peaked at 278 at 2:00 pm and came below 200 at 5:00 pm.
Speaking about this, IMD Chandigarh director Manmohan Singh said, “North westerly winds blowing in the region had kept the air quality from going bad due to the city’s unique location at the foothills of Himalyas. With western disturbances (WD), the effect of easterly winds takes over, which affected the air quality of the city.”
Even during Diwali, these winds had cleaned the city’s air in a matter of hours from severe to the moderate bracket.
Between 200 and 300, the AQI is considered poor and causes breathing discomfort to most people on prolonged exposure. The effects of the WD will also continue on Friday so similar worsening in the air quality of the city can be expected.
The air quality was poorer in centrally located station of Sector 22. AQI remained below 120 at the CAAQMS in Sector 25 which is located more towards the periphery of the city.
The warmer easterly winds also affected the minimum temperature of the city. Minimum temperature went up from 10 degrees on Wednesday to 10.9 degrees on Thursday. Maximum temperature meanwhile went down from 26.7 degrees on Wednesday to 26.2 degrees on Thursday. Although rain will remain unlikely because of the WD, minimum temperature can rise upto 12 degrees in the next three days while maximum temperature is likely to stay around 26 degrees.
