Delhi sees 10th consecutive day of satisfactory air quality

Delhi's air quality remains "satisfactory," with light rain recorded and a yellow alert for possible moderate rainfall on Sunday.

Since June 18, Delhi has experienced “satisfactory” air quality—apart from June 23 and June 25, when it dipped to “moderate”—reflecting the annual monsoon trend, as seasonal rains help disperse pollutants from the air. The average Air Quality Index (AQI) on Saturday was 89, up from 78 on Friday, marking the tenth consecutive day of “satisfactory” air quality in the Capital, according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s daily national bulletin.

Clouds above Jantar Mantar on Saturday. (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO)

According to historical patterns, July typically records a mix of “satisfactory” and “moderate” air quality days. In 2024, 17 days in July registered “satisfactory” air, while the remaining days saw “moderate” levels. According to forecasts by the Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) for Delhi, the AQI is expected to remain in the “satisfactory” category for at least the next couple of days.

On Saturday, a few parts of Delhi received light rain, despite forecasts from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicting light to moderate showers. However, a yellow alert has been issued for Sunday, warning of possible moderate rainfall.

According to data shared by IMD, Delhi’s base weather station at Safdarjung recorded 1.8mm of rain between 2.30pm and 5.30pm. Palam logged 2.6mm during the same period and 5.2mm over 24 hours between 8.30am on Friday and 8.30am on Saturday. Lodhi Road recorded only a trace amount throughout the day, while Pragati Maidan received 0.1mm between 8.30am and 11.30am.

IMD classifies rainfall as light (up to 15.5mm), moderate (15.6mm to 64.4mm), heavy (64.5mm to 115.5mm), and very heavy (115.6mm to 204.4mm). “A yellow alert has been issued for Sunday. Generally cloudy skies are expected to persist, along with light to moderate rain, accompanied by thunderstorm and lightning,” said an IMD official.

While no alerts have been issued for the days following Sunday, forecasts suggest that light rain may continue through the next week.

Delhi’s maximum temperature was recorded at 37.1 degrees Celsius (°C) on Saturday, 0.5°C above normal and slightly higher than Friday’s 36.2°C. The minimum was 27.9°C, which is around normal for this time of year, compared to 28.4°C recorded the previous day.

According to IMD, the maximum temperature is expected to drop further to around 33–35°C by Sunday and 32–34°C by Monday, while the minimum may range between 24–26°C by Monday.