Partly cloudy sky; Delhi AQI in moderate category today

The maximum temperature is predicted to touch 39°C, 1°C less than that of Wednesday’s, as per the IMD forecast. The minimum temperature is likely to remain 18°C

The national Capital is likely to witness a partly cloudy sky on Thursday and the maximum temperature is predicted to touch 39 degrees Celsius (°C), 1°C less than Wednesday’s maximum temperature, as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast. The minimum temperature is likely to remain 18°C.

Morning walkers at India Gate, New Delhi. (HT file photo)

On Wednesday, the minimum temperature was 20.6°C and the maximum temperature was 40.3°C-- four degrees above normal. On Tuesday, the minimum and maximum temperatures were 18°C and 39°C respectively.

Delhi’s air quality was in the moderate category on Thursday morning. Data from Central Pollution Control Board showed that the hourly air quality index (AQI) at 7am stood at 200. On Wednesday, the average 24-hour AQI was 199, which is the higher end of the moderate category.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered good, between 51 and 100 is satisfactory, between 101 and 200 is moderate, between 201 and 300 is poor, between 301 and 400 is very poor, and between 401 and 500 is severe.

On Tuesday, the Union ministry of earth science’s air quality monitoring centre, System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (Safar) said, “The overall Delhi air quality is in the moderate category as forecasted. The PM10 (coarse dust particles) continues to remain as the prominent lead pollutant. Surface winds are high and west-southwesterly. Air quality is expected to stay in the moderate to poor category for the next three days. Under the influence of approaching Western Disturbance, thunder storms with gusts winds are likely to increase dust emission on April 16. AQI is likely to improve on April 17.”

As far as the weather forecast for other parts of India is concerned, thunderstorm with lightning, hail and gusty winds (speed reaching 30-40 kmph) are likely on Thursday at isolated places over Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan and Muzaffarabad, according to IMD. Lightning and gusty winds with speed reaching 40-50 kmph are predicted at isolated places over Assam and Meghalaya while similar condition but with winds speed reaching 30-40 kmph is expected at isolated places over Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh,Jharkhand, Gangetic West Bengal, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal and Kerala and Mahe and with lightning at isolated places over East Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, and Sikkim, Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada, Odisha, Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam, Rayalaseema, Arunachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Karnataka and Lakshadweep.

IMD has predicted heavy rainfall on Thursday at isolated places over coastal and south interior Karnataka, Kerala and Mahe and Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal while dust storm/thunderstorm with gusty winds (speed reaching 30-40 kmph) very likely at isolated places over west Rajasthan.