New Delhi: Residents of the national capital and other NR cities woke up to a cooler morning on Monday after overnight showers. The rain not only brought some relief from the heat but also gave a slight push to improve the city’s air quality.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), several parts of the capital received rainfall ranging between 10 mm and 13 mm. On Monday morning, the minimum temperature was recorded at 20.4 degrees Celsius—nearly four degrees lower than what it was on Sunday.
Delhi AQI update
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported that the city’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) dropped to 123 at 7 a.m., from 159 a day earlier. But pollution levels were not the same everywhere. Anand Vihar remained the most polluted area with an AQI of 205, which falls in the “poor” category. On the other hand, Lodhi Road had the cleanest air with an AQI of 78, marked as “satisfactory.”
At Lodhi Road, PM 2.5 levels stood at 63 micrograms per cubic meter, just above the safe limit of 60, while PM 10 levels were 78 micrograms per cubic meter, which stayed within safe limits.
The slight drop in pollution was due to light to moderate rainfall late Sunday night, which was caused by a new western disturbance over northwest India. Rainfall data showed Safdarjung received 10.3 mm, Pitampura 13.5 mm, Mayur Vihar 11 mm, Pusa 8.5 mm, Palam 3.6 mm, and Janakpuri 4.5 mm. Winds between 30–40 kmph were recorded, and in some areas, gusts touched 50 kmph.
Delhi’s weather forecast for the week
The IMD has predicted that Monday will see mostly cloudy skies with light to moderate showers. Thunderstorms and lightning may also occur in some places. Winds in the range of 30–40 kmph are expected to continue, which will stop pollutants from collecting in the air.
On Tuesday morning, light rain is also likely, followed by partly cloudy skies later in the day. Maximum temperatures are expected to stay between 30 and 31 degrees Celsius, while the minimum will be around 23 degrees.
Impact of farm fires on Delhi NCR’s air quality
Weather experts say that this season, a mix of post-monsoon rainfall and steady winds could help Delhi’s air remain cleaner for a longer period. CPCB data shows that through October, the city’s air quality has mostly stayed between moderate and satisfactory—something unusual for this time of year.
Another reason for better air is the drop in stubble burning across nearby states. As of Sunday, there were no farm fire incidents in Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, or Delhi. Uttar Pradesh reported 32 such cases, while Rajasthan had just five.
Since September 15, around 210 farm fire incidents have been recorded across these five states, which is much less compared to previous years. Meteorologists said this is mainly because harvesting began late this year, and earlier flooding in Punjab slowed down the burning of crop stubble.