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Mercury dips slightly, air to get cleaner after rain
Gurugram Air quality in the city was in the ‘moderate’ category of the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) air quality index (AQI) for the second consecutive
Gurugram Air quality in the city was in the ‘moderate’ category of the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) air quality index (AQI) for the second consecutive day on Wednesday, with a reading of 151 on the 4pm AQI bulletin. Tuesday’s air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 168, after being in the ‘poor’ category for almost a week, as per the CPCB data.
Air quality is expected to remain in the ‘moderate’ category on Thursday as well, said air quality experts, attributing the improvement to higher wind speeds, averaging around 13 kilometres per hour (kmph). An increase in wind speed, along with thundershowers, is predicted on Thursday, and would clear pollutants further, as per the CPCB’s prediction.
“Strong surface winds, with speed of around 20-25 kmph, are expected to prevail on Thursday. Rain, expected on Wednesday night and Thursday, and would wash away some pollutants,” a CPCB official at the air quality lab said.
Meanwhile, both the minimum and maximum temperatures dropped by a couple of degrees on Wednesday.
The maximum temperature was recorded at 18.4 degrees Celsius on Wednesday by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a decrease from Tuesday’s maximum temperature of 20 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperature is predicted to drop further, to around 16 degrees Celsius, on Thursday as a result of the rain, the IMD said.
The minimum temperature dropped to 6.7 degrees Celsius on Wednesday from 10 degrees Celsius the previous day, according to the IMD data. The minimum temperature, however, will increase by around two degrees Celsius on Thursday, as per the IMD’s prediction.
“The rain/thunderstorm predicted on Wednesday night and Thursday is a result of a western disturbance. Friday, too, is expected to have a cloudy sky with a chance of light rain,” said Kuldeep Srivastava, head of the IMD’s regional forecasting centre in New Delhi.
The minimum temperature is likely to fall after Friday, to around 6 degrees Celsius, and dense fog has been predicted in the morning hours.
