Delhi’s air quality expected to be satisfactory for 3 days

Monitoring agency System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research said that AQI is likely to be around ‘satisfactory’ range due to expected light and trace rain spells

Delhi’s air quality was in the moderate category on Tuesday morning. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the hourly Air Quality Index (AQI) was 115 at 7am before parts of the city started getting rain around an hour later. On Monday, the average 24-hour AQI was 95 in the satisfactory category.

The hourly AQI was 115 at 7am before parts of the city started getting rain around an hour later. (ANI)

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’. The main pollutants in Delhi’s air were particulate matter PM2.5 and PM 10.

On Monday, the monitoring agency System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research said the city is expected to have satisfactory air quality for the next three days. “Dust (with particle size greater than 2.5 micrometre) contributes around 60% to PM10.”

It added the peak wind speed is likely to be around 12-18 km/hour on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and cause moderate dispersion. “...Air Quality Index is likely to be around ‘satisfactory’ range due to expected light and trace rain spells. The moderate temperature in the city (around 34-36 degrees Celsius) and mixing layer height at around 1.5 km maintains moderate ventilation in the air.”

The minimum temperature on Tuesday was likely to be 27 and the maximum 36 degrees Celsius. On Monday, the minimum temperature was 27.1 degrees Celsius and the maximum 36.9, a degree above normal. The humidity in the last 24 hours varied between a lower level of 57% and a maximum of 88%.