Delhi's air quality 'very poor' for 5th consecutive day
Delhi's air quality remained "very poor" for the fifth consecutive day, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) remaining above 350 since November 3. The season's highest AQI of 382 was recorded on that day. The continued poor air quality is due to calm winds, which have prevented the dispersion of pollutants. On Thursday, the city recorded a minimum temperature of 18°C, four degrees above normal after a seasonal low of 16.5°C on November 3.
'Severe' air quality levels recorded at 9 monitoring stations
Nine monitoring stations in Delhi recorded "severe" air quality levels at 9:00am on Thursday. Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 427 while Wazirpur recorded an AQI of 424. The overall average AQI for the day was slightly higher than Wednesday's reading at 367 as opposed to 352. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) categorizes AQI levels as: "good" (0-50), "satisfactory" (51-100), "moderate" (101-200), "poor" (201-300), "very poor" (301-400), and "severe" (over 400).
Unfavorable wind conditions persist, visibility drops
Despite adverse meteorological conditions, Delhi has not recorded a "severe" air quality day this season. Wind conditions are likely to remain adverse for pollutant dispersion till the weekend. Visibility in Palam was recorded at a minimum of 1,200 meters at 6:30am on Thursday, with city-wide visibility falling to 800 meters on Wednesday, due to these conditions. The wind direction has been fluctuating between southeasterly and westerly.
Stubble burning contributes to Delhi's PM2.5 levels
Stubble burning has played a major role in Delhi's PM2.5, contributing 20.3% on Tuesday and reaching a season-high of 35.1% on November 1. It was was 20.3% on Tuesday, and 23.3% on Wednesday. The Early Warning System for Delhi predicts that the air quality will remain in the "very poor" category till Saturday.
