With AQI at 98, Mumbai’s air quality ‘satisfactory’ for the first time this year

The air quality in Mumbai improved significantly on Tuesday and fell in the satisfactory category for the first time this year

The air quality in Mumbai improved significantly on Tuesday and fell in the satisfactory category for the first time this year. The overall air quality index (AQI) of the city was 98 on Tuesday, down from Monday’s 115.

Temperatures in the city have been on the rise for some time now, bringing down pollution levels. (HT Photo)

The AQI – a pollution measuring indicator – was calculated by the System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) as the average of indices recorded at 10 locations in the city and suburbs. SAFAR categorises AQI levels for PM2.5 in the 0-50 range as good; 51-100 as satisfactory; 101-200 as moderate; 201-300 as poor; 301-400 as very poor and above 400 as severe.

Of the 10 locations measured, Andheri had the most polluted air with an AQI of 190. Malad recorded an AQI of 159 and Navi Mumbai recorded 141, all in the moderate category.

“Temperatures have been on the rise for some time now, bringing down pollution levels. Clean winds from the ocean have further improved the air quality in Mumbai. It is expected to remain in the moderate category for the next two days,” said a spokesperson for SAFAR.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning in parts of interior Maharashtra from Wednesday.

“Under the influence of a wind discontinuity in lower levels over central India, its south-westward movement and moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal, light to moderate rainfall is likely over Marathwada and central Maharashtra, with isolated thunderstorms, lightning and hail. The conditions will persist for a couple of days,” said an IMD official.

Rain and thundershowers are very likely at Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg for the next two days. Meanwhile, Dhule, Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Nasik and Ahmednagar are expected to get thunderstorms and lightning. Temperatures are expected to drop marginally during the next two days, said the IMD official.

Minimum temperatures in the city remained slightly high on Tuesday. At the Colaba station of IMD, a minimum temperature of 21.5 degrees Celsius was recorded, up from Monday‘s 21.2 degrees. The minimum temperature at Colaba was 1.1 degrees above normal. At Santacruz, the minimum temperature was up from Monday’s 20.2 degrees Celsius to 20.5 degrees Celsius. It was 2 degrees higher than normal.

The maximum temperature at Colaba was 29 degrees Celsius, 0.8 degrees below normal. At Santacruz, the maximum temperature was 28.9 degrees Celsius, 2 degrees below normal.