Capital’s air quality improves after rain, temperatures dip sharply

Delhi’s air quality improved following widespread rain under the influence of a western disturbance, as minimum temperatures dropped sharply

New Delhi: The Capital’s air quality improved further on Saturday following widespread rain under the influence of a western disturbance, as minimum temperatures dropped sharply and light showers continued in some areas.

Generally cloudy skies might persist over the weekend as well but it will not be as intense as on Friday, an IMD official explained. (Raj k Raj / Hindustan Times)

The air quality index (AQI) stood at 256 (poor) at 9 am on Saturday, a further improvement from the 24-hour average AQI of 282 (poor) recorded at 4pm on Friday, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Scattered rain continued in some parts of the city. According to data from the India Meteorological department (IMD), Lodhi Road recorded 5.6 mm of Ridge between 11.30 pm on Friday and 2.30 am on Saturday, Ridge recorded 5.8 mm and Ayanagar recorded 4.1 mm of rain in the same time.

The minimum temperature, meanwhile, was logged at 7.6°C, only 0.1°C above the normal and a 6.1°C decrease from a day before when the minimum temperature was 13.7°C.

“Due to cloud cover the minimum temperature can go up as heat cannot escape the earth’s surface easily. Generally cloudy skies might persist over the weekend as well but it will not be as intense as on Friday,” an IMD official explained.

According to forecasts by IMD, the Capital is also likely to continue enjoying winds of up to 10-20 kmph, effectively keeping the air relatively clean. This might be followed by a second western disturbance, likely to bring very light to light rain in Delhi by Tuesday.

Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) for Delhi has also forecast the air quality of Delhi to remain in the poor category for the next few days.

“The air quality is likely to be in the poor category on Saturday. The air quality is likely to be in the poor category from Sunday to Monday. The outlook for the subsequent six days is that the air quality is likely to be in the poor to very poor category,” said the AQEWS bulletin.