NewKerala.com

Delhi-NCR Air Quality Improves to 'Poor' After First Rain of Season

Delhi-NCR's air quality improved to the 'poor' category with an AQI of 264 following the season's first spell of rain on Friday. The rainfall, the highest January precipitation in two years, brought temporary relief from persistently hazardous pollution levels across the region. The India Meteorological Department attributes the weather change to a western disturbance, forecasting continued cloudy skies with shallow to moderate morning fog. While areas like Anand Vihar and Chandni Chowk still recorded 'very poor' air, several locations showed marked improvement compared to previous days.

Key Points: Delhi Air Quality Improves to 'Poor' After January Rain

  • AQI improves to 'poor' (264)
  • First January rain in two years
  • Widespread rainfall up to 17.4 mm
  • IMD forecasts cloudy skies with fog
  • Western disturbance caused weather change
3 min read

Rain brings breather as Delhi-NCR air moves to 'poor' category from hazardous levels

Delhi-NCR's AQI drops to 264 ('poor') after season's first rain brings relief from hazardous pollution levels, with IMD forecasting cloudy skies.

"The maximum and minimum temperatures in Delhi are likely to be in the ranges of 16°C to 18°C and 06°C to 08°C - IMD"

New Delhi, Jan 24

After several days of dense smog and hazardous pollution levels, Delhi-NCR saw a noticeable improvement in air quality on Saturday, with the Air Quality Index slipping to the 'poor' category at 264. The improvement followed the season's first spell of rain on Friday, which brought much-needed respite from persistently high pollution levels across the region.

As per data released by the Central Pollution Control Board, the average AQI recorded at 7 a.m. stood at 264. During the morning hours, air quality remained in the 'poor' category at 29 monitoring stations, while four stations each recorded 'very poor' and 'moderate' air quality.

Several locations continued to hover near the 'very poor' mark, with AQI readings at Anand Vihar at 300, Chandni Chowk at 313, Wazirpur at 305, Dwarka Sector-8 at 296, Okhla Phase 2 at 292 and Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range at 294.

In contrast, some areas showed a marked improvement compared to the previous days. NSIT recorded an AQI of 113, while Lodhi Road and Shadipur registered 173 and 187, respectively, reflecting relatively cleaner air.

According to CPCB standards, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor', and 401 to 500 'severe'.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department has predicted a generally cloudy sky for the national Capital, with shallow to moderate fog likely during the morning hours.

Minimum and maximum temperatures are expected to hover around 7 degrees Celsius and 16 degrees Celsius, respectively.

"The maximum and minimum temperatures in Delhi are likely to be in the ranges of 16 degrees Celsius to 18 degrees Celsius and 06 degrees Celsius to 08 degrees Celsius, respectively. The minimum temperature will be near normal, and the maximum temperatures will be below normal (2.3 to 4.3 degrees Celsius) over Delhi," the IMD said in its release.

Earlier on Friday, the national Capital recorded its first rainfall of the year and also witnessed the highest January rainfall in two years, resulting in a sharp fall in temperatures and temporary relief from elevated pollution levels.

The IMD noted that the previous highest rainfall in January was recorded on January 30, 2023, when the city received 20.4 mm of rain.

The weather office attributed the rainfall to the impact of a western disturbance over northwest India, which brought rain, thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds to the region for a few hours.

Rainfall between 8.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. on Friday was widespread and significant, with the Ridge area recording the highest at 17.4 mm, followed by Palam at 14.0 mm, Lodi Road at 13.4 mm, Safdarjung at 13.2 mm and Ayanagar at 11.5 mm.

The IMD said rainfall activity was mainly concentrated during the morning and early afternoon hours, with little to no precipitation later in the day across Delhi-NCR.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
'Poor' is being celebrated now? That shows how bad things have become. 264 AQI is still terrible for health. Areas like Anand Vihar are still at 300+. This is just a short break, not a solution. The government needs a permanent plan, not just waiting for western disturbances.
D
David E
Visiting Delhi for work from London. The difference after the rain was night and day. Could actually see the buildings clearly! It's a shame that such a vibrant city has to deal with this every year. Hope the authorities use this breather to implement longer-term measures.
A
Aman W
The data shows the problem is so localized. Dwarka at 296 and NSIT at 113? That's a huge variation within the same city. We need hyper-local solutions, not just city-wide odd-even or bans. Also, grateful for the rain, my morning walk was actually pleasant today!
S
Sneha F
Temporary relief, but the underlying issues remain. As a doctor, I see the respiratory cases spike every winter. Moving from 'severe' to 'poor' is not an achievement, it's a downgrade from a crisis to a serious problem. Public health needs to be the top priority, not just AQI numbers.
K
Karthik V
The rain washed away the smog but also brought the cold! 7 degrees is quite chilly. It's a trade-off we Delhiites have to make every year - fresh air or warmer temperatures. At least the air is cleaner for now. Hope it lasts a few more days.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50