Showers bring down Mumbai’s AQI to 18, lowest so far in 2020

Overnight showers on Friday helped Mumbai bring down its pollution levels to an all-time low for this year, with the air quality index (AQI) dipping to 18 for PM2.5

Overnight showers on Friday helped Mumbai bring down its pollution levels to an all-time low for this year, with the air quality index (AQI) dipping to 18 for PM2.5 — breathable particulate matter of 2.5 micron size.

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The AQI, measured by System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), had dropped to 22 on Wednesday, when Cyclone Nisarga brushed past the city. On Thursday, it had further fallen to 19. An AQI of 15 has been predicted for Saturday.

An AQI between 0-50 falls under the ‘good’ category.

While the suburbs recorded 28.4mm rain from 8.30pm on Thursday to 8.30am on Friday, south Mumbai recorded 12mm rain during the same period. Over the past 24 hours (8.30am Thursday to 8.30am Friday), 62mm and 53.2mm of rainfall has been recorded in south Mumbai and the suburbs.

“With more rainfall activity and continuous wind speed under the present pre-monsoon conditions and the effects of the cyclone, Mumbai may break its cleanest air day record soon,” said Gufran Beig, director, SAFAR. The cleanest air day so far for Mumbai, since SAFAR began air quality monitoring in June 2015, has been September 4, 2019, when the AQI was 12.

Meanwhile, the weather bureau said the city and suburbs can expect light rain or thundershowers during evenings or night over the weekend. “South-westerly winds with developing monsoon conditions towards southern parts of India, and the remnants of Cyclone Nisarga as a low pressure system over MP are helping sporadic rain and windy conditions during late evenings in Mumbai,” said an official from the weather bureau.