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Air quality improves marginally in NW India, shifts to ‘poor’ category
On Wednesday morning, Delhi, Baghpat, Ambala, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, Karnal, Kurukshetra, etc; which had recorded ‘very poor’ air on Tuesday, showed a marginal improvement and graduated to ‘poor’ category, despite raging stubble burning in Punjab
Air pollution levels have fallen marginally in most parts of north-west India on Wednesday, as moderate winds helped with dispersion the previous day.
On Wednesday morning, Delhi, Baghpat, Ambala, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, Karnal, Kurukshetra, etc;, which had recorded “very poor” air on Tuesday, showed a marginal improvement and graduated to “poor” category, despite stubble burning in Punjab.
Air quality index (AQI) between 201-300 and 301-400 are considered poor and very poor category, respectively.
Stubble fires contributed to 23% of Delhi’s particulate matter (PM) 2.5 load on Wednesday, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research under the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM).
But wind speed is likely to reduce from Wednesday, while the wind direction will continue to remain north-westerly.
“Wind speed increased to about 18 kilometres per hour (kmph) on Tuesday ,the Safdarjung weather bureau showed. and, as a result, the impact of stubble fires was not felt as much. Wind speed will reduce from Wednesday, but wind direction will remain north-westerly. Consequently, air quality is likely to worsen,” said Kuldeep Shrivastava, head, regional weather forecasting centre.
Conditions are becoming favourable for withdrawal of monsoon from the country and for commencement of north-east monsoon rainfall over parts of extreme southern peninsula on Wednesday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
A cyclonic circulation lies over the south-west Bay of Bengal off north Tamil Nadu (TN) coast. Under its influence widespread and heavy rainfall and moderate thunderstorm and lightning is likely to occur over Kerala, Mahe, TN and Puducherry during the next five days.
Normally, monsoon withdraws from the country by October 15.
Meanwhile, night temperatures in most parts of north-west India were recorded 1 to 2 degrees Celsius (C) below normal.
Tuesday’s minimum temperature in Karnal was 12.6 degrees C, 2 degrees below normal. Delhi recorded 14.4 degrees C, 2 degrees below normal; and Amritsar reported 12.1 degrees C, 1 degree below normal.
