Delhi's AQI Improves to Poor as Winds Clear Skies
Delhi's AQI Improves to Poor as Winds Clear Skies
Delhi's air quality eases from very poor to poor as strong winds clear the skies, ending a 24-day streak of bad air.
Delhi's overall Air Quality Index (AQI) rose to 300 on Monday morning, placing the city in the 'poor' category. This marks a slight deterioration from Sunday’s 279 reading but comes after a sustained run of very poor air for 24 days. The change coincides with a chilly 5.6°C as clear skies prevailed for much of the day.
On Monday at around 8:05 am, the CPCB-monitored AQI breakdown shows 23 of the 38 stations registering 'very poor' air quality, even as several others improved enough to pull the overall index up from the prior day's levels. The Nehru Nagar station recorded the worst AQI at 354, while the best reading stood at NSIT Dwarka with 202. Other high readings included Rohini (343), Bawana (339), RK Puram (338), Mundka (330), Punjabi Bagh (329), Anand Vihar (327), Wazirpur (325), Shadipur (324) and Jahangirpuri (321).
The cleaner air on Sunday and into Monday is attributed to strong northwesterly winds blowing from the mountains toward the plains, aiding dispersion of pollutants across Delhi and into adjacent Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Officials noted that air quality began to improve from Sunday night onwards as these winds took effect, helping to end the long stretch of very poor conditions.
The day’s readings also signal potential improvements for nearby regions such as Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad if the wind patterns persist. While the current trend offers a respite, experts caution that Delhi’s winter pollution cycle can be volatile, depending on weather and atmospheric conditions.
Cover image source: Delhi logs lowest Jan-Nov average AQI since 2018, with exception of lockdown year: CAQM 🔗
