Delhi AQI touches ‘very poor’ for first time after Feb

Delhi's air quality dropped to 'very poor' due to dust from Rajasthan, with high temperatures expected before rain brings relief later this week.

Published on: May 27, 2026, 04:24:18 IST

By Jasjeev Gandhiok

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Amid dust intrusion from Rajasthan since Sunday night, Delhi’s air quality nosedived and briefly touched the ‘very poor’ category in the early hours of Tuesday -- the first time since February this year. Though improving marginally during the day, it was still ‘poor’ in the evening, as Delhi continued to sizzle under high heat.

Delhi AQI touches ‘very poor’ for first time after Feb

A haze was visible in the city till Monday night, with PM 10 levels spiking. Delhi’s average air quality index (AQI) was 304 (very poor) at 9 am on Tuesday, but by 4 pm, when the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) releases its daily air bulletin -- had dipped 254 (poor). It was 252 (poor) at the same time on Monday. The last time Delhi’s AQI was ‘very poor’ -- over 300, was on February 11, when it was 305.

“Slow moving dust reached Delhi late on Sunday night from Rajasthan and it stayed over Delhi till Monday night and even in the early hours of Tuesday. This led to a spike in PM 10 levels and subsequently the AQI,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice president at Skymet, stating while the impact of this spell was over, dry dust-raising winds locally will still continue.

Delhi continued to feel the heat on Tuesday, with temperatures likely to rise even further on Wednesday – before relief hits the city in the form of rain from Thursday onwards, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast. The maximum at Safdarjung, Delhi’s base station, stood at 43.5°C on Tuesday – three degrees above normal. The highest was 44.8°C at Ayanagar.

The IMD has a yellow alert in place for Wednesday, forecasting possible heatwave conditions as the maximum oscillates between 44-46°C. However, a western disturbance is expected to start influencing northwest India, with a yellow alert for light rain and gusty winds in place for both Thursday and Friday. “The maximum will start dipping from Thursday onwards. Peak impact over Delhi-NCR is likely from Friday, with the maximum to be under 40°C till Sunday,” said an IMD official.

So far this season, the city has seen two spells of heatwaves. Parts of Delhi reeled under three consecutive heatwave days from April 23 to 25. However, Safdarjung saw one heatwave day on April 25 when the mercury climbed to 42.8°C. Some areas in Delhi then recorded a four-day streak of heatwave conditions from May 18 to 21. However, Safdarjung recorded just one such day on May 19 when it touched 45.1°C there.

The minimum temperature on Tuesday stood at 26.8°C, which is near normal for this time of the year. This is forecast to hover between 27-29°C on Wednesday and between 28-30°C on Thursday.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jasjeev Gandhiok
Jasjeev Gandhiok is an Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times, where he covers environment, climate change, the clean energy transition and wildlife at the National Bureau. Gandhiok has over a decade of experience in journalism and is based in Delhi. He has reported extensively on Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). This includes the region's air pollution woes, a polluted Yamuna and on urban wildlife still thriving in the region. He joined HT in October 2021. Prior to that, he had five-year stint at The Times of India in Delhi, where he also covered Delhi, with a focus on environment and wildlife. Gandhiok has covered some recent events around the Capital too, ranging from the farmers' protests, the northeast Delhi riots and the CAA-NRC protests, reporting from the ground on all of these. He also travels across the country to report on how environment and climate change impact everyday life, while also writing on endangered species. His reports in 2019 on toxic leachate from Delhi's landfills led to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) taking suo motu cognisance and ultimately asking the state government to start bio-mining to flatten and remove all three landfills in the capital. He also closely tracks the implementation of government policies on climate, renewable energy and environmental protection. His focus remains on impactful, public-interest journalism which explains how environmental decisions affect people's everyday lives.Read More

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