Delhi’s air quality ‘very poor’, may improve over next 2 days: IMD

Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) was 394 at 9 am on Sunday. The 24-hour average was 404 on Saturday, which falls in the severe category.

Delhi’s air quality was recorded in the upper end of the “very poor category” on Sunday and is likely to improve over the next two days due to a predicted increase in the wind speed, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The air quality had turned severe on Saturday with slow wind speed allowing the accumulation of locally-generated pollutants, according to the weather bureau.

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. (Raj K Raj/HT PHOTO)

Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) was 394 at 9am on Sunday. The 24-hour average was 404 on Saturday, which falls in the severe category. It was 382 on Friday, 341 on Thursday, 373 on Wednesday, 367 on Tuesday, 318 on Monday and 268 on Sunday. Air pollution in the neighbouring cities of Ghaziabad (AQI 430), Greater Noida (404) and Noida (404) continued to remain in the severe zone.

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.

The minimum temperature was 11.4 degrees Celsius on Sunday and the maximum is likely to settle around 28 degrees Celsius, the weather department said.

VK Soni, the head of IMD’s environment research centre, said the wind speed remained slow allowing the accumulation of pollutants generated locally. “Easterly winds carrying moisture also led to the formation of secondary particulate matter. All these factors together pushed the air quality in the ‘severe’ zone,” he said, according to news agency PTI.

However, Soni said, the air quality is likely to be in the “poor category” by Monday due to an expected increase in the wind speed. According to IMD, the maximum wind speed is likely to be 8kmph on Sunday and 15kmph on Monday. Calm winds and low temperatures trap pollutants close to the ground, while favourable wind speed helps in their dispersion.

(With agency inputs)