Clear sky in Delhi today, temperature to stay within 37 degrees Celsius

On Thursday, the Air Quality Early Warning System of the ministry of earth sciences showed in its AQI forecast that the AQI in Delhi was in the ‘moderate category’

Delhi is likely to have a clear sky and moderate air quality on Thursday, with temperatures to stay between 37 and 27 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

India Gate in New Delhi. (ANI Photo)

The minimum temperature on Wednesday was 27.3 degrees Celsius, one notch above normal, while the maximum temperature was 36.3 degree Celsius, two degrees above normal. The humidity levels in the city stayed between 49% and 81% over the last 24 hours.

Data from the Central Pollution Control Board showed that the hourly air quality index (AQI) at 8am stood at 144. On Wednesday, the average 24-hour AQI was 154, which is in the mid-range of the moderate category. Dust particles in the form of PM10 constitute the most prominent pollutant present in the city’s air.

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 Thursday, the Air Quality Early Warning System of the ministry of earth sciences showed in its AQI forecast that the air quality in Delhi was in the ‘moderate category’, with predominant winds of 8-20 kmph from the northwest and west.

“The air quality is likely to remain in ‘moderate’ category from August 31 to September 2. The outlook for the subsequent six days also shows that air quality is likely to remain in the ‘moderate’ category. The ventilation index is likely to be 26,500sqm on August 31, 23,500sqm on September 1 and 18,500sqm on September 2. The ventilation index lower than 6,000sqm with average wind speed less than 10kmph is considered unfavourable for dispersion of pollutants,” the forecast stated.