Delhi’s air quality remains in the ‘poor’ category as temperatures rise steadily
Delhi’s air quality remained in the ‘poor’ category on Monday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) touching 253 (poor) at 9 am on Monday.
Delhi’s AQI was 244 (poor) as per the Central Pollution Control Board’s national bulletin published every day at 4 pm.
The air quality on Monday is likely to deteriorate further and touch the ‘very poor’ category, even as the national capital records another relatively warm day, forecasts show.
“Delhi’s air quality is likely to deteriorate, but it will remain in the ‘very poor’ category on February 6 and 7. After that the air quality will improve, but it will reach the ‘poor’ category on February 8,” said the Early Warning System, a forecasting model under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. .
CPCB classifies AQI between 0-50 as ‘good’, 51 to 100 as ‘satisfactory’, 101 to 200 as ‘moderate’, 201 to 300 as ‘poor’ and 301 to 400 as ‘very poor’. Also classifies. And more than 400 are ‘severe’.
Weather-wise, Delhi’s maximum has been rising steadily over the past few days, with clear skies during the day allowing the surface to heat up quickly.
Delhi’s maximum temperature on Thursday was 24.3 degrees Celsius; 24.7°C on Friday, 25.3°C on Saturday and 25.7°C on Sunday.
In terms of minimum temperature, Delhi recorded a minimum of 9.2 degrees Celsius this morning, 0.6 degrees Celsius lower than Sunday’s minimum.
“Temperatures have risen as Delhi is witnessing clear skies now, while the wind direction is also not northwesterly, which is keeping temperatures in check as it is cool air. In the absence of western disturbance, similar weather conditions are expected to continue for the next three days,” an official said.
Delhi’s maximum temperature is expected to touch 27 degrees Celsius at Safdarjung today and will remain between 25 and 27 degrees Celsius till February 12.