AQI back to ‘moderate’ in Delhi; IMD forecasts light rain by tonight

The minimum temperature stood at 18.6°C on Thursday, three degrees above normal for this time of the year.

Delhi’s air quality improved to the ‘moderate’ category on Thursday after two straight days of being ‘poor’, while the minimum temperature continued to rise even as the weather department has forecast light drizzles over the weekend.

A youth covers his head on a hot day at India Gate in New Delhi. (Sanchit Khanna/ HT Photo)

The minimum temperature stood at 18.6°C on Thursday, three degrees above normal for this time of the year; it was 17.2°C a day earlier and 15.7°C on Tuesday.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast partly cloudy sky during the day, with chances of light rain by night. There is also a possibility of light rainfall on Friday and Saturday, as a western disturbance starts to influence the region.

It was a hot day on Wednesday, with the maximum recorded at 33.5°C, five notches above normal for this time of the year. It was 34.8°C on Tuesday, which was the highest maximum so far this year. The IMD said Delhi’s maximum is expected to range from 33-35°C on Thursday and Friday, but may dip to 30-32°C by Saturday.

“A western disturbance is beginning to impact the region from Thursday. There are chances of scattered light rain and drizzle in Delhi-NCR from Thursday till Saturday. Cloudiness will also persist, thus leading to a drop in day-time temperature again,” an IMD official said.

Meanwhile, the air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 159 (moderate) at 9am on Thursday; it was 228 (poor) at 4pm on Wednesday and 262 (poor) on Tuesday.

Forecasts by the Centre’s Early Warning System for Delhi show that the AQI is likely to stay moderate till at least Saturday.

“Delhi’s air quality is likely to be in the ‘moderate’ category from Thursday till Saturday. The outlook for the subsequent six days shows AQI will fluctuate between ‘moderate’ and ‘poor’,” according to the EWS in its daily bulletin.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) classifies AQI between 0 and 50 as ‘good,’ between 51 and 100 as ‘satisfactory,’ between 101 and 200 as ‘moderate,’ between 201 and 300 as ‘poor,’ between 301 and 400 as ‘very poor,’ and over 400 as ‘severe’.