Air quality dips, to remain ‘poor’ for next 2 days

Gurgaon: The city’s air quality continued to linger in the ‘poor’ levels on Sunday, with the air quality index (AQI) recorded at 242. The air quality, which was in the ‘moderate’ category till Thursday, saw a decline from Friday. On Saturday, the AQI stood at 222 (poor).
According to the Met department, the air quality saw a dip after the minimum temperature declined to 7 degrees Celsius. The air quality also deteriorated to ‘poor’ level in other cities of Delhi-NCR. On Sunday, Delhi recorded the AQI at 285 (poor), Ghaziabad 295 (poor), Greater Noida 276 (very poor), Faridabad 266 (poor) and Noida 290 (poor).
According to the Met department, the maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to remain the same on Monday. “There is a forecast of fog or mist in the morning and later mainly clear sky on Monday. While the maximum temperature is expected to be at 21 degrees Celsius, the minimum temperature will be 7 degrees Celsius,” said a Met official.
The maximum temperature, which was recorded at 21 degrees Celsius on Saturday, remained the same on Sunday as well. The minimum temperature, on the other hand, was recorded at 7 degrees Celsius on Sunday, one notch below what it was on Saturday. As per SAFAR’s forecast, the AQI is likely to see slight improvement but will be in the ‘poor’ level, between 225 (poor) and 256 (poor), in the next 48 hours.
Meanwhile, Delhi’s maximum and minimum temperature is set to rise by 3-4 degrees over the next 72 hours owing to an approaching western disturbance.
The Met department said it will lead to a rise in mercury across the plains.