Improved wind speed (14 km/ hour) helped bring down the level of pollutants in the city air on Sunday. The concentration of pollutants in red zone areas in the national Capital — Anand Vihar, RK Puram and Punjabi Bagh — was recorded “low”. New Delhi’s Mandir Marg area recorded lowest values of PM 2.5 at 106µg/m3.
All the ambient air quality monitors have measured values of primary pollutants including Sox and NOx less as compared to last few days. SAFAR (System of Air Quality Forecast and Research), Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) recorded Particulate Matter (10 ) - 201 micro cubic per gram (µgm-3) and PM 2.5 recorded 121 µgm-3 on Sunday. The air quality index forecast indicates air quality will remain “moderate” for next two days.
If one considers the pollution database of November, this is for the first time when the concentration values were recorded under the limits. Environmentalists said, the wind speed and relative humidity are the factors for low values of Suspended Particulate Matters (SPMs) on Air Quality Index (AQI). From “very poor” to “moderate”, the NAAQI has updated its air quality status and forecasting the same for next three days.
According to India Metrological Department (IMD), the wind speed was 14KM/h on Sunday. “ Currently, Delhi's climate conditions are favorable and the high wind will help in settling down Suspended Particulate Matters (SPMs), Secondly, Delhi is not witnessing fog which results zero thermal inversion process,” said a Met expert.
As per US Embassy real time air data, values of PM 10 and 2.5 in per cubic micro gram were recorded at 117 and 142 while other pollutants (Ozone, Nitrate of Oxides) values were recorded at 3 and 11. Importantly, value of carbon monoxide was recorded at Zero at all monitoring stations of Delhi-NCR region.
The Capital's minimum temperature settled at 14.1 degrees Celsius, two notches above the season's average. The maximum temperature was recorded at 24.5 degrees Celsius, three notches above the normal, a Met department official said. Wind was blowing at 8 knots (14 km/hr) in the morning, resulting in normal visibility, as per MeT experts. The relative humidity oscillated between 62and 55 per cent in capital atmosphere.
Sky will remain clear till November 24 . However , from November 25, Delhities will witness fog, the weatherman said.