Delhi: As winds speeds reduce, AQI slips into ‘very poor’

Delhi's air quality fell back to "very poor" with an AQI of 305 due to low winds; improvement expected from February 14 as weather systems approach.

The air quality in the Capital slipped back into the “very poor” category after a gap of six days on Wednesday as low wind speeds, influenced by an approaching western disturbance, reduced the dispersion of pollutants.

New Delhi, India - Feb. 11, 2026: Delhi experienced mild winter fog in the morning at Kartavya Path , in New Delhi, India, on Wednesday, February 11, 2026. (Photo by Vipin Kumar/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

The Capital’s 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) stood at 305 at 4pm on Wednesday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) daily bulletin. The AQI had been 271 (poor) at 4 pm on Tuesday, 249 (poor) on Monday and 189 (moderate) on Sunday, indicating a steady deterioration over the past few days. The last time it was in “very poor” was on February 4, when the AQI was 351.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that three western disturbances are set to affect northwest India in quick succession, with the first already impacting the western Himalayan region since Tuesday. However, officials said all three systems are expected to be relatively weak.

“The second western disturbance is likely around February 13 and the third around February 16-17. Isolated to scattered rain or snowfall is expected over the western Himalayan region,” an IMD official said.

Mahesh Palawat, vice president at Skymet Weather, said that although the systems are feeble, the third western disturbance may bring light rainfall to parts of the plains as well. “Some rain activity may develop over Rajasthan and move eastward, with Delhi possibly witnessing a scattered drizzle around February 17. However, no significant drop in maximum or minimum temperatures is expected. Similarly, temperatures are unlikely to rise sharply in the coming days,” he said.

For Thursday, IMD has forecast wind speeds of 15-20 kmph during the day, with winds of 10-15 kmph expected on Friday. Stronger winds are likely to aid in the dispersion of pollutants and prevent further deterioration in air quality.

According to forecasts by the Centre’s Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, the AQI is likely to remain in the ‘poor’ category at least until February 14, before gradual improvement.

On the same day, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) issued uniform technical and operational norms for mechanised road sweeping across the region, citing the significant contribution of road dust to PM10 and PM2.5 levels. It noted that inconsistent and inadequate sweeping has been aggravating air pollution. The guidelines standardise the deployment of mechanised road sweeping machines based on carriageway width to ensure measurable dust reduction: large machines with hopper capacity above 4 cubic metres for roads wider than 15 metres, medium machines for 10–15 metre roads, and smaller machines for stretches under 10 metres. CAQM added that all new machines must run on CNG or electricity and be equipped with water-spraying and dust filtration systems to prevent re-entrainment of particulate matter.

Meanwhile, the city has witnessed above-normal daytime temperatures. The maximum temperature reached 27.5°C on Wednesday, four degrees above normal, after touching 28.6°C on Tuesday, five degrees above normal. Daytime temperatures are expected to remain between 25°C and 28°C until Friday, possibly rising by another degree over the weekend.

The minimum temperature stood at 13.2°C on Wednesday, three degrees above normal. Night temperatures are likely to range between 11°C and 13°C till Friday, increasing by 1-2°C over the weekend, keeping nights relatively warm.