Delhi AQI levels are expected to remain in the poor category for the next six days as falling temperatures and changing weather conditions contribute to a rise in pollution across the capital. The air-quality warning system forecast that Delhi’s air would reach the poor category on October 21 and 22.
The city recorded a maximum temperature of 30.8 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, 0.8 degrees below normal, while the minimum temperature fell to 17.7 degrees Celsius, 0.7 degrees below normal, according to weather information cited in the report. The decline in temperature has coincided with a rise in pollution levels.
Delhi’s average AQI was recorded at 161 in the morning. It increased to 179 at 4 pm, according to the report. By 6 pm, AQI readings above 200 had been recorded at 17 locations in the capital, placing those monitoring stations in the poor category under the Central Pollution Control Board’s classification.
Among the locations listed, Bawana recorded an AQI of 264, Jahangirpuri 261, Dwarka Sector 8 252, NSUT Dwarka 241, Mundka 236, Delhi Technological University 230, Chandni Chowk 223, Najafgarh 213, Narela 212, IIT Delhi 207 and the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range 202. The report said that around a dozen locations had recorded AQI levels above 200 at 8 am.
The CPCB classifies AQI readings from zero to 50 as good, 51 to 100 as satisfactory, 101 to 200 as moderate, 201 to 300 as poor, 301 to 400 as very poor and 401 to 500 as severe. Delhi’s citywide reading remained in the moderate band in the evening, but the number of locations crossing into the poor category increased during the day.
Weather conditions are expected to remain important to the pollution pattern over the coming days. The report said humidity in the capital reached a maximum of 96 per cent and a minimum of 41 per cent on Tuesday. The weather department forecast a maximum temperature of 31 to 33 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 18 to 20 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.
Partly cloudy skies are expected on October 24 and 25, although no rain has been forecast. The air-quality warning system’s projection covers the following six days, during which Delhi’s pollution level is expected to remain in the poor category. The forecast does not establish that every monitoring location will record the same AQI, with readings already varying substantially across the city.
