PremiumDelhi's air quality continued to remain in ‘poor category’ in morning on Thursday. The air quality is likely to remain the same till Saturday. Rainfall in the city is expected to bring some relief
Delhites are looking up to rainfall predictions as their struggle for clean air continues with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 281 at 7 am on Thursday. Delhi's air quality continued to remain in the ‘poor category’ on Thursday and will remain the same till Saturday.
Delhi's average 24-hour AQI remained at 260 on Wednesday. According to the measuring scale of air pollution, AQI between zero and 50 is considered good. Whereas the air quality index between 51 and 100 is considered satisfactory, AQI falling between 101 and 200 is moderate, 201 and 300 poor, 301 and 400 very poor, and 401 and 500 severe. IMD has predicted light rain showers in the national capital on Thursday.
The Union earth sciences ministry's monitoring agency, System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research on Wednesday indicated that weak wind flow from Punjab and Haryana region may reduce the inflow of pollutants in Delhi. According to the agency, stubble burning contributed 5 per cent to PM 2.5 in Delhi.
“Fine particles (size < 2.5 micrometer) contribute ~ 59% to PM10. Local surface winds are 4 to 8 km/h for [the] next 2 days that cause weak dispersion of pollutants. Cloudy sky and intermittent drizzle are likely that leads to low ‘Mixing layer height’ during daytime resulting in weak vertical mixing."
Delhi's minimum and maximum temperature is expected to be 16 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius on Thursday.
As the IMD has predicted rainfall in parts of Delhi-NCR regions in the area on Wednesday, the situation will help in reducing the dispersion of pollutants. The agency informed that there is high possibility of the flow of strong upper-level winds flowing from northwest direction on Friday and Saturday. If the cases of stubble burning increase then the high speed wind will enhance the inflow of pollutants deteriorating the AQI to upper end of very poor.