Delhi’s air quality improves marginally

Saturday’s minimum temperature of 8.5 degrees C was 4 degrees below normal.

Delhi’s air quality improved marginally on Saturday even as it remained in the poor category with the Air Quality Index (AQI) of 267 at 6 am. The AQI was lower than the average of 296 on Friday.

A man crosses a railway track amid hazy weather conditions, at Nizamuddin in New Delhi on November 20. (Biplov Bhuyan/HT PHOTO)

Government agencies on Friday forecast that air quality may improve slightly over the weekend due to high wind speed.

The share of stubble burning to the city’s PM 2.5 levels on Friday reduced to 15% from 20% the previous day.

India Meteorological Department scientists said the average wind speed is likely to remain around 15-16 kph throughout the day and it will help in the dispersion of pollutants.

“Air quality will improve over the next two days. No significant deterioration is likely in the air quality at least till November 23,” said a scientist.

Weather scientists have predicted a cold wave-like condition over Delhi and other parts of Northwest India over the weekend. Saturday’s minimum temperature of 8.5 degrees C was 4 degrees below normal.