Delhi’s AQI slips back to moderate a day after rain improved air quality

Monday's improvement proved short-lived, as Delhi's air quality deteriorated again on Tuesday, with an AQI of 138 recorded at 9.05 am.

Delhi’s air quality slipped back into the moderate category on Tuesday, a day after rainfall brought the city’s air quality index (AQI) down to the satisfactory range.

Delhi weather today: The city recorded an AQI of 83 on Monday, a significant improvement from 111 on Sunday, following early-morning showers that also brought temperatures down. (ANI/ Representstive)

The city recorded an AQI of 83 on Monday, a significant improvement from 111 on Sunday, following early-morning showers that also brought temperatures down. However, the improvement proved short-lived, as air quality deteriorated again on Tuesday, with an AQI of 138 recorded at 9.05 am.

Delhi weather

The India Meteorological Department’s weather observations showed on Tuesday that the maximum temperature at Safdarjung, Delhi’s base weather station, was 30.2 degrees Celsius on Monday, four degrees Celsius below normal. The minimum temperature was 21.2 degrees Celsius, 1.6 degrees Celsius above normal.

Palam recorded a minimum temperature of 21 degrees Celsius, which was 1.2 degrees Celsius above normal, while Lodhi Road recorded 21.4 degrees Celsius, 2.4 degrees Celsius above normal.

The rainfall recorded at the Ridge weather station was 1.4 mm in the 24 hours ending at 8.30 am on Tuesday. No rainfall was recorded at Safdarjung, Palam, Lodhi Road and Ayanagar during the same period.

Forecast on Tuesday

The IMD has forecast partly cloudy skies for the day, with the maximum temperature expected to reach 33 degrees Celsius.

Delhi received 41.6 mm of rainfall in a single spell on Monday, nearly three times the monthly long-period average (LPA) of 15.1mm for October.