Delhi residents faced challenging environmental conditions on Saturday, with air quality plummeting to ‘very poor’ levels and temperatures dropping significantly.
Delhi Air Quality in poor category
The city recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 351 around 9 am, firmly placing it in the hazardous ‘very poor’ category. According to the Sameer app, which provides hourly updates from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the reading signals significant atmospheric pollution.
The morning temperature dipped to 9.8 degrees Celsius – the season’s second lowest – while humidity levels soared to 97 per cent. Weather forecasts predict mainly clear skies with maximum temperatures expected to reach around 26 degrees Celsius.
Warmest November in 5 years
November has been notably exceptional, emerging as the warmest in five years. The average minimum temperature of 14.9 degrees Celsius is nearly 2 degrees above the Long-Period Average (LPA) of 13 degrees Celsius. Similarly, the average maximum temperature of 29.5 degrees Celsius represents a 1.1-degree deviation from the LPA.
Air quality categorization ranges from ‘good’ (0-50) to ‘severe’ (401-500), with Saturday’s reading of 351 falling into the ‘very poor’ bracket, indicating significant health risks for residents.
Meteorologists and environmental experts continue to monitor the situation, emphasizing the need for protective measures during such atmospheric conditions.
