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Air quality in Delhi deteriorates further amid low temperature, moderate winds
Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 7.5°C and maximum temperature of 22.7°C on Tuesday, both a degree below the normal temperature for this time of the year.
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elhi’s air quality deteriorated on Tuesday, touching the higher end of the “very poor” category, as temperatures remained low and wind speed remained moderate. The Capital recorded an air quality index (AQI) of 367, according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) daily 4 pm bulletin on Tuesday, an increase from Monday’s reading of 331 (very poor), and 254 (poor) on Sunday.
Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 7.5°C and maximum temperature of 22.7°C on Tuesday, both a degree below the normal temperature for this time of the year. In comparison, the maximum and minimum temperature on Monday was 22.4°C and 6.6°C.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast the minimum temperature to remain around 7°C for the next two days.
It, however, said that the minimum temperature could rise to around 8 degrees Celsius (°C) by Friday under the influence of a fresh western disturbance, which is expected to bring a spell of very light rain on Thursday night. The temperatures will again start dropping from Saturday and could touch 5-6 degrees Celsius, it added.
“There is a possibility of very light rain and drizzle activity occurring on the evening and night of December 16. This is under the influence of another western disturbance, but its impact will be minimal as it will be fairly weak over Delhi NCR,” said R.K Jenamani, scientist at IMD.
In terms of air quality, agencies forecast that Delhi’s AQI will remain in the “very poor” range till Wednesday, with a slight improvement expected from Thursday. “Delhi is recording low temperatures for the past three days and that has led to a slight deterioration in air quality, with wind speed also moderate. Air quality will remain ‘very poor’ for two days before a combination of some light rain and an increase in wind speed aids Delhi from Thursday onwards,” said Gufran Beig, founder and project director at the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (Safar).
CPCB classifies AQI as “poor” when it is between 201 and 300, as “very poor” when it is between 301 and 400, and “severe” when it is over 400. Delhi last recorded a “severe” day on December 2.
According to experts, Delhi tends to see a second spike in air pollution towards the last week of December, when temperatures dip to their lowest. “Air quality should remain between ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ during this period, but historical data shows a spike tends to occur in the last week of December and the first week of January,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment.
