While the national capital witnesses temperatures below the usual, air quality remains a significant concern for its residents.
Delhiites find themselves grappling with ‘poor’ air quality, as the air quality index (AQI) in the city takes a further dip. Today’s recorded average AQI stands at 286, a slight increase from yesterday’s 262, as per SAFAR-India’s data. This places the AQI just a few notches away from the ‘very poor’ category.
The neighboring regions of Delhi also face similar challenges. Noida reports an AQI of 255, while Gurugram’s air quality hovers between ‘moderate’ and ‘poor’ categories.
Projections indicate that the air quality is anticipated to deteriorate further over the weekend, likely returning to the ‘very poor’ category. The Union earth sciences ministry’s Early Warning System bulletin warns, “Delhi’s air quality… is likely to be very poor on Saturday and Sunday. The outlook for the subsequent six days shows the air quality is likely to remain between ‘very poor’ and ‘poor’.”
For reference, the AQI scale categorizes air quality as follows: 0-50 (good), 51-100 (satisfactory), 101-200 (moderate), 201-300 (poor), 301-400 (very poor), and above 400 (severe).
Meanwhile, Delhi is experiencing lower-than-average temperatures, with the mercury dropping to a season-low of 15.2°C. Minimum temperatures are expected to linger around 16°C until October 30, while maximum temperatures will range between 31 and 33°C.
