‘Poor’ category: Delhi’s air quality on Monday morning

Lucknow had the worst air quality on Monday morning and it topped the chart with the AQI of 282 at 7am. The air quality in Chennai on Monday was the best among 10 cities with an AQI of 41 at 7am

The air quality in Delhi remained in the poor category on Monday morning. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the hourly Air Quality Index (AQI) at 7am was 278 in the “poor” category. The average 24-hour AQI on Sunday was 289.

A recent photo of the New Delhi skyline. (PTI/File)

Lucknow had the worst air quality on Monday morning and it topped the chart with the AQI of 282 at 7am. The air quality in Chennai on Monday was the best among 10 cities with an AQI of 41 at 7am.

According to the union earth science’s ministry’s System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), Delhi’s AQI was likely to improve to the upper end of “poor” category for the next two days. There was an expected change in the wind direction to westerly/south-westerly that was likely to reduce the emissions from stubble burning.

Isolated rainfall was also likely in the region and expected to improve air quality. According to SAFAR, the share of crop residue burning emissions in PM2.5 was about 8%.

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 AQI in the poor category leads to breathing discomfort for most people.

Delhi is likely to experience mainly overcast weather on Monday, said the India Meteorological Department. The minimum temperature was expected to remain around 15 degrees Celsius and the maximum 30 degrees Celsius.