Air quality dips to poor due to dusty winds

Strong winds carried dust into Gurugram on Wednesday and forced the air quality to deteriorate to “poor”, as per the central pollution control board’s (CPCB’s) air quality index (AQI)

Strong winds carried dust into Gurugram on Wednesday and forced the air quality to deteriorate to “poor”, as per the central pollution control board’s (CPCB’s) air quality index (AQI).

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The index read 206, compared to Tuesday’s “moderate” level of 187.

As per the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, the air quality is likely to remain poor on Thursday and improve on April 2 but remain in the “moderate” to “poor” levels. During the day on Thursday, it forecasted clear sky with strong dust raising winds (speed 35- 45 kmph).

V K Soni, head of environment monitoring and research centre of India Meteorological Department (IMD), said, “Over the next two days, air quality is likely to improve as majority of the dusty winds from Rajasthan have passed over Delhi-NCR.”

The high-speed winds are likely to reduce the temperature over the next few days.

On Wednesday, Gurugram reported a maximum temperature of 36.8 degrees Celsius and minimum temperature of 20 degrees Celsius. In the past 24 hours, the city witnessed an over two degrees drop in the maximum temperature. On Monday, Gurugram had reported the maximum for this season with a temperature of 40.5 degrees Celsius.

As per the weekly forecast of India Meteorological Department, the temperature in the city is likely to reduce over the next four days from Thursday onwards and hover between minimum of 16 degrees Celsius and maximum 35 degrees Celsius.