Due to a confluence of low temperatures, calm breezes, and farm fires in neighboring states, Delhi’s air quality fell to the very poor level on Sunday for the first time this season.
Despite getting worse and staying in the poor category for a third day on Wednesday, Delhi’s air quality was still expected to reach the very poor level by the evening. At 8 am, the average air quality index (AQI) was 282, which is considered poor, as opposed to 236 at 4 pm on Tuesday.
Due to unfavorable climatic circumstances, the AQI is projected to fluctuate between poor and extremely poor until the end of the month, according to the Union Earth Sciences Ministry’s Early Warning System (EWS), which provides a 10-day forecast.
“On Wednesday, Delhi’s air quality is projected to fall into the very poor category. The air quality will then start to become better once more, and it will probably be considered poor on Thursday and Friday.
The air quality is expected to be between poor and very poor during the next six days, according to the outlook, which was released on Tuesday.
Due to a confluence of low temperatures, calm breezes, and farm fires in neighboring states, Delhi’s air quality fell to the very poor level on Sunday for the first time this season.
The increase in pollution levels has been attributed to a number of factors, including an increase in farm fires in northern regions. Although the fires have started sooner than they did last year, the number has not yet increased dramatically.
By the end of October and the first week of November, they often experience a considerable increase.
According to information from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Punjab saw 360 farm fires on Tuesday, the most in a single day this season. The previous peak occurred on October 20 at 174. There were 70 farm fires in Haryana. On October 15, there were 127 fires, which was the most fires in a single day.
Pollutants gathered in the area due to low temperatures and calm winds at night. On Tuesday, Delhi had temperatures as high as 32.1°C and as low as 16.1°C.
Over the weekend, actions under the Graded Response Action Plan’s Stage II, or the very poor category, including the enforcement of the ban on diesel generator sets, were put into place in preparation of a decline in air quality.
Due to the high winds on Tuesday, Delhi’s air quality improved, but it was still considered poor.
