Delhi weather: Light rain, cloudy sky today; AQI in moderate category

Delhi weather today: Data from Central Pollution Control Board showed that the hourly air quality index (AQI) at 6am stood at 148. On Sunday, the average 24-hour AQI had been 134, also in the moderate category

Today’s Delhi weather is likely to see light rain and cloudy sky, as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast.

Clouds over South and North Block, at Vijay Chowk in New Delhi. (HT file)

The minimum temperature on Monday is likely to be 26 degrees Celsius (°C) while the maximum temperature is predicted to reach 40°C.

The minimum temperature on Sunday was 24°C – four degrees below normal and the maximum temperature was 38.1°C – two degrees below normal.

Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality was in the moderate category on Monday morning. Data from Central Pollution Control Board showed that the hourly air quality index (AQI) at 6am stood at 148. On Sunday, the average 24-hour AQI had been 134, also in the moderate 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.

On Sunday, the Union ministry of earth science’s air quality monitoring centre, System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (Safar), said, “A sharp increase in wind speed is forecasted for the next three days favourable for dispersion. However, at the same time an increase in the long-range transport of dust from the arid regions is likely as the transporting winds are becoming favourable leading to frequent short term hourly spikes in PM10 in the next three days. As AQI is an average of 24 hours, it would stay in the moderate to poor category with PM10 as the lead pollutant for the next three days.”