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Strong winds to improve air quality, expect cold day conditions this week
Noida: The air quality of the city and its neighbouring areas improved to the “poor” category on Sunday from the “very poor” category a day earlier, as the region experienced strong winds
Noida: The air quality of the city and its neighbouring areas improved to the “poor” category on Sunday from the “very poor” category a day earlier, as the region experienced strong winds.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the air quality index (AQI) of Noida on Sunday, on a scale of 0 to 500, was 239 against 346 a day earlier. The AQI of Ghaziabad too improved to 280 against 348 a day earlier. The AQI of Greater Noida, however, did not budge from the “very poor” category, though still managed to show some improvement, with an AQI of 311 on Sunday against 360 a day earlier.
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.”
According to the weather department and the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), a pollution monitoring agency, the air quality is likely to improve further.
“The AQI is likely to improve and to the “poor” to the “moderate” category on January 12 and 13. No sudden deterioration of AQI is expected till January 14,” said a SAFAR statement on Sunday.
The weather analysts added that over the next three days from Monday, as the wind speed will rise further. However, due to clear sky and strong, icy-cold north-westerly winds, the mercury is likely to drop.
Sunday saw isolated cold-day conditions at some places across the National Capital Region. The cold-day conditions are a weather phenomenon when the maximum or day time temperatures are at least four degrees Celsius below the season’s average.
“The region will see high wind speed over the next two days. The effect of high winds was seen on Sunday as well, with the region receiving 18-20 kmph strong winds. From Monday onwards, this will rise to 25 to 30 kmph, which will lead to a drop in the day time temperature, especially maximum temperature, which may drop by a few degrees over the next three days, with cold day conditions already being realised at some isolated places across NCR,” said Kuldeep Srivastava, head, regional weather forecasting centre, India Meteorological Department (IMD).
He added that the strong wind speed will be good for the air quality of the region.
“The air quality will markedly improve over the next three days as strong winds will ventilate most of the pollutants from the city,” Srivastava added.
On Sunday, the mercury fell by four degrees Celsius in the city due to icy cold winds from the Himalayan region. The minimum temperature for Noida, realised at the automatic weather monitoring station Sector 62, Noida, was recorded at 8.1 degrees Celsius, against 12.3 degrees Celsius a day earlier.
The maximum temperature also dropped by almost four degrees in Noida and an average of three degrees across NCR. The maximum temperature or Noida was recorded at 16.2 degrees Celsius, against 19.9 degrees Celsius a day earlier.
Meanwhile, the average minimum and maximum temperatures in NCR, based on the Safdarjung observatory, were recorded at 7.8 degrees Celsius and 16.2 degrees Celsius, respectively.
“There has been snow over the mountain regions, so the minimum and maximum temperatures will drop further. There will be a nip in the air and despite a clear sky and sunshine, the days will feel cold due to winds,” added Srivastava.
