Delhi Pollution: Due to the decreased wind speeds over the previous few hours overnight, Delhi’s air quality worsened to a “severe” level on Wednesday at 9 a.m., with an air quality index (AQI) reading of 413. This was a worse reading than the average 24-hour AQI recorded the day before.
Delhi’s AQI Skyrockets to 413
At 9:10 a.m., the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) Sameer app released the hourly average air quality index (AQI), which had reached 413, with 30 of the 37 operational stations reporting extremely high levels of air pollution. Tuesday saw Delhi‘s AQI stay in the “very poor” category for the fourth day in a row, with the city recording a 24-hour average of 372, according to the CPCB.
GRAP IV Restrictions Lifted
When restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan stage 4 (GRAP IV) were lifted on Saturday, pollution levels had started to decline after remaining “severe” for five days. Tuesday afternoon wind speeds of up to 15 kmph were recorded from the northwest, which made a small dent in the amount of pollution. But since the evening, the AQI had been steadily rising.
Delhi Hit by Record Wind Speeds at 155 kmph
The wind speed over Palam and Safdarjung was as high as 155 kmph, according to officials from the India Meteorological Department (IMD). This is the highest wind speed recorded in the city since the last western disturbance that brought light rain on November 10. That being said, the wind speed will probably decrease. “The wind speed is likely to reduce to around 8-10kmph by Wednesday afternoon and will be coming from northwest direction,” said Kuldeep Srivastava, scientist at IMD.
Delhi Braces for AQI Surge Towards ‘Severe’ Amid Prevailing Conditions
The prevailing meteorological conditions could cause the AQI, which is already approaching the “severe” category, to increase over the course of the day. It is anticipated that the transport sector will contribute less to Delhi’s pollution when winds out of the northwest increase the amount of stubble burning. On Wednesday, the minimum and maximum temperatures are probably going to be around 11°C and 26°C, respectively.
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