Mumbai’s air quality very poor, may improve over next 2 days

Air quality in Mumbai dropped to its worst so far this year, with the air quality index (AQI) — a pollutant measuring indicator — at 309 on Wednesday.

Air quality in Mumbai dropped to its worst so far this year, with the air quality index (AQI) — a pollutant measuring indicator — at 309 on Wednesday.

The AQI in Mumbai is on the borderline of very poor. (HT Photo)

The air quality measured on Wednesday was in the very poor category and was higher than the AQI measured on January 1 (307). The AQI was calculated by the System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) as the average of indices recorded at 10 locations in the city and suburbs. SAFAR categorises AQI levels for PM2.5 in the 0-50 range as good; 51-100 as satisfactory; 101-200 as moderate; 201-300 as poor; 301-400 as very poor and above 400 as severe.

“The AQI in Mumbai is on the borderline of very poor. This is because of low dispersion of pollutant particles [owing to drop in minimum temperature]. Air quality is likely to improve over the next two days but will remain in the poor category,” said a spokesperson from SAFAR.

Of the 10 stations at which the air quality was measured, Borivli had the poorest air with AQI of 344. This was followed by Navi Mumbai, where the AQI was measured at 329. While Mazagaon recorded AQI of 327, both Andheri and Malad, recorded AQI of 321.

Meanwhile, minimum temperatures dropped marginally. The Santacruz station, representative of Mumbai suburbs, recorded a minimum temperature of 19.8 degree Celsius, 0.7 degrees lower than Tuesday’s minimum temperature, but 2.7 degrees above normal. The Colaba station recorded a minimum temperature of 21 degree Celsius, 0.5 degrees below Tuesday’s minimum temperature, but 1.4 degrees above normal.

Santacruz recorded a maximum temperature of 30.3 degree Celsius, 1.2 degrees below normal. At Colaba, the maximum temperature was 27.5 degree Celsius, a drop of 3 degrees below normal.

“The marginal dip in temperatures is because of the active western disturbance spreading from central Pakistan to the Arabian Sea. Cloudy weather is likely to continue for the next couple of days,” said KS Hosalikar, deputy director general of western region, India Meteorological Department (IMD).