Delhi's air quality improves, ends 5-day streak of 'severe' pollution
Delhi's air quality improved to the "very poor" category on Thursday, breaking a five-day string of "severe" pollution levels, even as the minimum temperature continued to drop and reached a season-low. Reduced fog intensity and higher wind speed contributed to improved air quality.
PTC News Desk: Delhi's air quality improved to the "very poor" category on Thursday, breaking a five-day string of "severe" pollution levels, even as the minimum temperature continued to drop and reached a season-low. Reduced fog intensity and higher wind speed contributed to improved air quality.
According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the average Air Quality Index (AQI) was 376 (very poor) at 9 a.m. on Thursday, compared to 419 (severe) at 4 p.m. the day before.
At 9 a.m., 11 of 38 air quality locations were in the severe category. The remainder were in the "very poor" category. Delhi's Wazirpur (436) has the highest AQI, followed by Jahangirpuri (435). Two stations were offline.
On Monday, the AQI peaked at 494, the joint second-highest ever. It had been "severe" since November 16. On November 15, the average AQI level was 396 (very poor).
On Thursday, the minimum temperature was 10.2°C, two degrees below normal, down from 11.2°C the day before and 12.3°C on Tuesday. It has plummeted approximately 6 degrees Celsius in four days.
A reduction in temperature has a negative impact on air quality since it slows winds and makes pollutant dispersion difficult. However, as fog weakened over northwest India, daytime temperatures began to rise again.
On Thursday, shallow fog decreased visibility to 500 metres. The India Meteorological Department stated that severe fog was not observed anywhere in the country at 8:30 a.m.