Delhi: Air quality improves after worsening to ‘very poor’ zone day earlier

A day after Delhi’s air quality deteriorated to the “very poor” category for the first time in nearly three months, it marginally improved on Wednesday with an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 250 (poor) at 9am. Dust-raising winds throughout the day were likely to spike PM10 concentration again.
On Tuesday, Delhi recorded an average AQI of 302 (very poor) at 4pm. The air quality worsened to the “very poor” category for the first time since February 14 (336). Six of the 37 active monitoring stations, including Narela (345) and Chandni Chowk (328), recorded “very poor” air quality at 9am on Wednesday.
Surface winds of 15 km per hour throughout the day on Tuesday led to the gradual AQI deterioration. Shadipur and Anand Vihar stations crossed the AQI mark of 400 (severe) normally recorded during the peak pollution months—November and December.
An AQI between 0-50 is classified as “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, and over 400 “severe”.
On Tuesday, Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 42°C, three degrees above normal and the highest so far this year. The mercury was expected to go up to 41°C on Wednesday. “We will have strong easterly winds blowing during the day, which may bring down the maximum by a degree or so. There will be no significant relief,” said an India Metrological Department official.
Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 27.5°C, two degrees above normal, compared to 24.4°C on Tuesday. The minimum temperature was likely to oscillate between 24 and 25°C for the remainder of the week. Light rain expected on May 11 and 12 is likely to bring down the maximum temperature to 40°C.