AQI in Delhi slips to ‘very poor’ category; minimum temperature to be around 8°C

According to the early warning system, used by the Commission for Air Quality Management, Delhi’s AQI is likely to remain in the ‘very poor’ category till Sunday

Delhi’s air quality worsened to ‘very poor’ category on Friday morning, as the hourly air quality index (AQI) at 8 am stood at 308. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department predicted the highest temperature in the national capital to be around 26 degrees Celsius today, while the minimum temperature is likely to be around 8 degrees Celsius.

Vehicles on Gurugram-Delhi expressway amid low visibility due to smog. (PTI Photo)

The minimum temperature on Thursday was 8.3 degrees Celsius, while the maximum temperature reached 24.8 degrees Celsius. The AQI yesterday was in the poor category at 281.

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

According to the early warning system (EWS), used by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR, Delhi’s AQI is likely to remain in the ‘very poor’ category till Sunday.

“Delhi’s air quality is likely to deteriorate but will be in the ‘very poor’ category from December 9-11,” the EWS said on Thursday.

Owing to a gradual improvement in the AQI earlier this week, CAQM had on Wednesday evening lifted all restrictions under Stage-III of the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap), which was imposed on Sunday when the AQI was ‘severe’, lifting the ban on private construction and demolition activities across NCR.