Even though a clear sky was predicted for Monday morning, Delhi’s air quality remained in the poor category. The hourly air quality index (AQI) was 237 at 7am, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. The 24-hour average AQI for Sunday was 232.
Between 0 and 50, the air quality index (AQI) is deemed “excellent,” between 51 and 100, “acceptable,” between 101 and 200, “moderate,” between 201 and 300, “bad,” between 301 and 400, and between 401 and 500, “severe.”
The government’s watchdog System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research reported on Monday that coarse particles (size > 2.5 micrometre) made up 53% of PM10. “For the next 3 days…peak wind speed is likely to be ~ 4-12 km/h causing moderate dispersion and AQI is likely to be within ‘Moderate’ or ‘lower end of poor’ due to prevailing dry weather. Moderate temperature (~ 31-32 deg C) and mixing layer height (~ 1.0 – 1.5 km) maintains moderate ventilation,” it said.
Monday’s low and high temperatures are predicted to be 19 and 32 degrees Celsius, respectively. On Sunday, the low temperature was 19.1 degrees Celsius and the high was 32.6 degrees Celsius.
