Delhi has experienced its cleanest air quality for any day between January 1 and August 8 over the past six years, according to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). On Thursday, the national capital registered an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 53, which falls within the satisfactory category.The significant improvement in air quality can be attributed to the heavy rains witnessed in recent days during the ongoing monsoon season. The CAQM highlighted this development in a tweet, stating that the AQI reading of 53, recorded at 4 pm by the Central Pollution Control Board, was the lowest for any day between January 1 and August 8 from 2018 to 2024.The lowest ever daily avg. AQI of Delhi on any day during 01st January - 08th August for the period 2018-2024 (barring Covid affected 2020) was logged today i.e. 53.— Commission for Air Quality Management (@CAQM_Official) August 8, 2024To contextualize, an AQI between 0 and 50 is classified as good, 51 to 100 as satisfactory, 101 to 200 as moderate, 201 to 300 as poor, 301 to 400 as very poor, and 401 to 500 as severe.On Thursday, light rainfall across parts of Delhi brought some relief from the humid weather, with the maximum temperature reaching 34.1°C, which is normal for the season, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The minimum temperature was recorded at 25.4°C, 1.5 degrees below the normal.The rainfall, however, led to disruptions in several areas, causing traffic issues due to waterlogging and the uprooting of trees. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) received 18 complaints related to waterlogging and 16 regarding uprooted trees.The weather forecast for Friday predicts a generally cloudy sky with light rain, with temperatures expected to hover around 34°C for the maximum and 26°C for the minimum.Delhi has recorded 554.6 mm of rainfall between June 1 and August 1, significantly influenced by two extreme weather events: 228.1 mm on June 28 and 107.6 mm on August 1.On June 28, when the monsoon arrived in Delhi, the city recorded a staggering 228.1 mm of rain in 24 hours, marking the second-highest rainfall in June in 88 years. The highest-ever June rainfall recorded in 24 hours at Safdarjung, the citys primary observatory, was 235.5 mm on June 28, 1936. On July 31, Delhi received 108 mm of rain in 24 hours, setting a new record for the highest single-day rainfall in July in 14 years.
