Delhi Weather: National capital feels winter chill, pollution level lowest of the year

The air quality was recorded 'poor' on Monday after rains lashed the national capital on Sunday, bringing down the temperature by several notches. The major pollutants PM 2.5 were recorded at 341 and PM 10 at 205 (poor category) in the RK Puram area. In the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium area, the Air Quality Index (AQI) PM 2.5 was at 338 and PM 10 at 209. At the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium area, PM 2.5 was at 298 and PM 10 at 216. AQI at Punjabi Bagh Delhi was recorded 'very poor', PM 2.5 was at 306 while the PM 10 was at 163. Delhi's air quality has been oscillating between 'very poor' and 'severe' categories for the past ten days.

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On Sunday, Delhi witnessed light showers with minimum temperature touching 8.6 degrees Celsius, a notch above the season's average. The national capital recorded 1.6mm rainfall, while maximum temperature remained at 19.6 degrees Celsius. Met officials said humidity oscillated between 100 and 74 per cent. They said the mercury may drop Monday with minimum temperature going down to 7 degrees Celsius.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a fall in the maximum temperature by 2-3 degrees until January 9-10.

"An active western disturbance is very likely to cause fairly widespread moisture intrusion over the northern region of the country including Delhi and withdrawal is expected only after three days," the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) said.

The Delhi government has not ruled out enforcing the odd-even traffic rule if pollution levels in the city spiked above safe limits. 

Delhi is reeling under the menace of air pollution for the past couple of years. The region faced a major air quality crisis last year when severe pollution level forced the shutdown of schools and colleges. In 2016, the government tried to explore the possibility of cloud seeding for artificial rain but the plan never worked out.  

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An AQI between 100 to 200 comes under ‘moderate’ category, 201 and 300 is considered ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’ while between 401 and 500 ‘severe’. The overall PM2.5 (fine particulate matter in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometre) level was recorded at 143 and the PM10 (fine particulate matter in the air with a diameter of less than 10 micrometre) level at 253, according to SAFAR.