Delhi covered in thick haze: Why the air quality dropped to ‘very poor’
Strong winds carrying dust from western Rajasthan swept into Delhi on Thursday morning, worsening air quality and lowering visibility across the city.
Delhi recorded hazardous levels of air pollution on Friday morning as the Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 301, falling into the "very poor" category.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the city’s overall AQI was measured at 301 at 7 am. Several monitoring stations reported even worse levels, with readings of 352 in Anand Vihar, 322 in Ashok Vihar, and 333 in Aya Nagar.
As per IMD, the maximum temperature in Delhi is expected to hover between 40 and 42 degrees Celsius on Friday. However, a slight dip in temperature is likely over the next few days, offering some relief from the ongoing heat.
What caused the sudden worsening of Delhi's air quality
Pollution levels spiked sharply, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) dropping into the ‘poor’ category for the first time in nearly two weeks.
As per IMD, strong winds carrying dust from western Rajasthan swept into Delhi on Thursday morning, worsening air quality and lowering visibility across the city.
The IMD said the sudden rise in dust and wind was caused by a strong pressure difference over northwest India. This led to surface winds blowing at 30 to 40 km/h from the night of May 14 into the morning, carrying dust from Rajasthan through Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi.
At Indira Gandhi International Airport visibility dropped as low as 1,200 metres during the day time on Thursday.
However, IMD observed that there were no warning for such a long-lasting or intense dust storm in the Delhi-NCR area.
As per CPCB, PM10 levels jumped by nearly 145% and were recorded at 337.6 µg/m³ by 3 pm. PM2.5 levels rose even more—by over 200%—reaching 196.1 µg/m³. In comparison, levels on Wednesday at the same time were significantly lower, with PM10 at 133.3 µg/m³ and PM2.5 at 41.9 µg/m³.
Yellow alert for parts of Himachal Pradesh
The local Met office has forecast light rain or snowfall at isolated places in the higher hills area of Himachal Pradesh between May 16 and May 21. Additionally, light rain is expected in the mid and lower hills between May 19 and May 21.
Meanwhile, a yellow alert has been issued on May 18 and 19, warning of thunderstorms and lightning accompanied by gusty winds up to 50 km/h in parts of the state.
This comes after a thunderstorm with lightning and strong winds reaching speeds of 40–50 km/h struck Shimla and nearby tourist destinations like Kufri and Fagu on Thursday evening, according to the IMD
The storm was brief but intense, with sharp showers and overcast skies lasting for several minutes.
While the upper hills experienced stormy conditions, maximum temperatures rose slightly in the lower hill regions of Himachal Pradesh, the IMD said in its update.
(With ANI, PTI inputs)
