Delhi’s air quality is poor and is expected to get worse over time

According to forecasts, the next 24 hours will see a progressive decline in air quality, with the AQI potentially reaching “severe” by Monday and “very poor” later today.

Due to the recent strong winds and light rains throughout the city, Delhi’s air quality on Sunday was in the lower half of the “poor” category. At 7 am this morning, Delhi’s 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) was 202 (poor), which is a slight improvement over the reading of 220 (poor) that was recorded at 4 pm on Saturday. The air quality index (AQI) is predicted to gradually worsen over the course of the next 24 hours, reaching the “very poor” category later today and potentially reaching the “severe” category by Monday due to the potential addition of firecracker emissions to the atmosphere.

The AQI has risen annually after Diwali, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board, with the exception of the previous year, when strong winds assisted in dispersing firecracker emissions. Even though the air quality index (AQI) stayed in the “very poor” category on Diwali and the following day in 2022, the day following the festival saw strong winds that may have mitigated the effects of firecracker explosions in Delhi NCR.

“The air quality is likely to deteriorate and will reach in ‘Very Poor’ category on November 12. The air quality is likely to reach in ‘Severe’ category from November 13 to 14. For the subsequent six days, the air quality is likely to remain in Severe to Very Poor category,” said a forecast issued by the Early Warning System (EWS) for Delhi.