Delhi-NCR Air Quality Improves After Season’s First Rainfall

After several days of dense smog and hazardous pollution, Delhi-NCR witnessed a significant improvement in air quality on Saturday, following the season’s first rainfall on Friday.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) dropped to the ‘poor’ category at 264, offering much-needed relief to residents.

According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), 29 monitoring stations recorded air quality in the ‘poor’ category, while four stations reported ‘very poor’ and another four reported ‘moderate’ air quality.

Certain areas, however, continued to hover near dangerous levels, with Anand Vihar at 300, Chandni Chowk at 313, Wazirpur at 305, Dwarka Sector-8 at 296, Okhla Phase 2 at 292, and Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range at 294.

In contrast, NSIT recorded an AQI of 113, while Lodhi Road and Shadipur reported 173 and 187, respectively, indicating relatively cleaner air.

CPCB standards classify an AQI between 201 and 300 as ‘poor’, 301–400 as ‘very poor’, and 401–500 as ‘severe’.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasted generally cloudy skies for the Capital, with shallow to moderate fog during morning hours. Minimum and maximum temperatures are expected to be around 7°C and 16°C, respectively.

A western disturbance over northwest India caused Friday’s rainfall, the highest January downpour in two years.

The Ridge area recorded the highest precipitation at 17.4 mm, followed by Palam at 14.0 mm, Lodi Road at 13.4 mm, Safdarjung at 13.2 mm, and Ayanagar at 11.5 mm.

Morning and early afternoon rainfall temporarily eased the elevated pollution levels.

The IMD noted that temperatures will remain slightly below normal, with the maximum hovering between 16°C and 18°C, and the minimum around 6°C to 8°C.

The combination of rain and winds brought by the western disturbance helped disperse pollutants, offering Delhiites a rare breather from hazardous smog and dense particulate matter.