Delhi to see partly cloudy sky with mist in the morning, air quality in “very poor” category

Delhi is likely to see a partly cloudy sky today, and the minimum temperature is likely to be at 13 degrees Celsius while the maximum temperature is predicted to reach 28 degrees Celsius

The national capital on Monday woke up to a thick blanket of smog as the air quality was in the ‘very poor’ category, according to data provided by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

A worker walks through a lawn near India Gate, shrouded in smog, in New Delhi. (PTI Photo)

CPCB recorded the hourly air quality index (AQI) at 7 am to be at 312. On Sunday, the average 24-hour AQI was 303, which is in the lower end of the ‘very poor’ category. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’.

Delhi is likely to see a partly cloudy sky today, and the minimum temperature is likely to be at 13 degrees Celsius while the maximum temperature is predicted to reach 28 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature on Sunday was 12.6 degree Celsius, one degree below normal, and maximum temperature was 28.2 degree Celsius, normal for this time of the year.

On Sunday, the Union ministry of earth science’s air quality monitoring centre – System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (Safar) – said that air quality is likely to remain in very poor category in the national capital.

Safar forecast on air quality in Delhi states, “Overall air quality index indicates ‘very poor’ air quality. Stubble burning emissions contribute 24% to PM2.5 in Delhi. Fine particles (size less than 2.5 micrometre) contribute around 57% to PM10. Local surface winds for next two days will improve dispersion while drop in minimum temperature will help accumulation of pollutants. Moderate ‘mixing layer height’ during daytime at the height of 1.5 – 2.0 km enhances vertical mixing.”