New Delhi: The national capital has recorded a concerning air quality index (AQI) reading of 234, categorizing it as poor over the past 24 hours, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). This marks a significant decline from the previous days AQI of 186, which was classified as moderate. The deteriorating air quality is compounded by forecasts indicating that persistent winds will lead to a drop in temperatures, further exacerbating pollution levels and maintaining the citys air quality in the poor category.Impending Cold Snap and Its Impact on Air QualityThe Centres Early Warning System for Delhi has warned that the air quality is expected to remain in the poor category from December 11 to December 13. They project that the AQI will continue to hover in this unhealthy range for at least six additional days. On Tuesday, Delhis minimum temperature was recorded at 8°C, which is two degrees below normal and slightly lower than the previous days reading of 8.2°C. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) anticipates further declines, predicting a drop to 7°C by Wednesday and potentially reaching 6°C by Thursday.Temperature Trends Amidst Poor Air QualityThe maximum temperature in Delhi was reported at 23°C, also two degrees below normal but an increase from the seasons low of 21.6°C observed just a day earlier. An IMD official noted, The maximum should remain below normal, hovering around 23°C, over the next three days. Mahesh Palawat, vice president at Skymet, explained that despite sunny conditions, cold northwesterly winds are contributing to a wind chill effect that is lowering both maximum and minimum temperatures. He added that a further drop of 1-2°C is expected over the next few days as winds remain consistent.Air Quality Monitoring: A Mixed Bag of ReadingsOn Tuesday morning, wind speeds reached up to 17 km/hr but saw a slight decrease during the evening and nighttime hours on Monday, leading to a marginal deterioration in air quality. Palawat reassured that further deterioration is unlikely as wind speeds of 10-15 km/hr are anticipated over the next three days. The days average AQI was calculated based on data from 38 monitoring stations across Delhi. Notably, only one station at RK Puram recorded a very poorAQI of 335 at 4 PM, while twenty-seven stations fell into the poor category with AQIs ranging between 200 and 300.Decembers Unusual Air Quality PatternsThis December has seen only one day categorized as very poor, occurring on December 8 with an AQI of 302. Remarkably, this month has also recorded four days classified as moderate, marking the highest number of such days in December since AQI data collection began in 2015. Previous years had only recorded three moderate air days each in December 2015, 2019, and 2022.Despite these improvements earlier in the month, Delhi has never recorded a good or satisfactory air day in December since monitoring began in 2015. The cleanest air recorded this month was an AQI of 140 on December 26, 2015. This years December has started unusually well compared to past years, with several moderate days indicating a potential shift in air quality trends.As Delhi grapples with fluctuating pollution levels and unpredictable weather patterns, residents are left to contend with the ongoing challenges of maintaining healthy air quality amidst changing climatic conditions.
