Delhi AQI improves marginally before deterioration by late evening

Although there was marginal improvement in the 24-hour average, air quality slipped to 291 — on the verge of “very poor” level — by 8pm on Saturday

New Delhi

A view of Humayun’s Tomb engulfed in smog on Saturday morning. (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO)

There was marginal improvement in the Capital’s air quality index, from 270 on Friday to 255 on Saturday — both in the “poor” category of the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB’s) daily bulletin.

Forecasts by the Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) for Delhi, however, suggest that the respite may be short-lived and the air quality might deteriorate into the “very poor” category by Sunday.

“The air quality is likely to be in very poor category from Sunday to Tuesday. The outlook for the subsequent six days is that the air quality is likely to be in very poor to severe category,” the AQEWS said in its forecast.

Although there was marginal improvement in the 24-hour average, air quality slipped to 291 — on the verge of “very poor” level — by 8pm on Saturday, according to real-time data.

Delhi air shows a significant deterioration in air quality and a rise in pollution during winter months. Delhi’s AQI touched “very poor” for the first time this season on Monday and remained in the category until Thursday. Stage-2 measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) were invoked across NCR on Monday, following the deterioration in AQI.

Meanwhile, mercury levels dipped slightly but still remained above the normal. The maximum temperature was 33°C, one degree above the normal, and the minimum was 18.6°C, one degree below the normal.

“Mostly clear skies will persist throughout the weekend. Some mist in the morning hours might be observed from the middle of next week,” an official with the India Meteorological Department said.