NEW DELHI: Air quality was in the ‘severe’ category on Sunday as wind speed came down in the national capital. Earlier, on Wednesday and Thursday, it was in the ‘poor’ category, before it fell into the very poor category on Friday afternoon. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) was 416, which falls in the ‘severe’ category. An AQI between 100 and 200 comes under the ‘moderate’ category, 201 and 300 is considered ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, while that between 401 and 500 is ‘severe’.

As many as 24 areas recorded ‘severe’ air quality and seven ‘very poor’ air quality. Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Noida and Greater Noida recorded ‘severe’ air quality.The overall PM2.5 level was at 273, while the PM10 level was at 426.

The Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR) said air quality may improve in the next two days under the influence of light rains which is expected thereafter. “The overall air quality will deteriorate further, with small fluctuations in the next three days if it does not rain. Other meteorological conditions are not favourable although foggy conditions are likely to reduce now,” it said.

Air quality will deteriorate further to remain in the border of very poor to severe and then start improving depending on rain, according to the SAFAR. “In any case, the AQI will start receding by Tuesday… Other meteorological conditions are not favourable although foggy conditions are likely to reduce now,” it said.
Meanwhile, it was a cold day in Delhi with the minimum temperature settling at 8.5 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperature was recorded at 23.5 degrees Celsius, three notches above the season’s average in the city.

The meteorological department has forecast moderate fog in the morning on Monday and mainly clear sky and haze/smoke thereafter.  “Maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to hover around 20 and 7 degrees Celsius respectively,” the weatherman said.The maximum temperature on Saturday was 22.9 degrees Celsius in the national capital, whereas the minimum had settled at 7.1 degrees Celsius.             With Agency inputs