Delhi's air quality index (AQI) plunged into the severe category with a count of 404 in the early hours of Wednesday and the adjoining Noida is witnessing even worse AQI with the PM 10 count at 582 and PM 2.5 count of 511, which much higher than Delhi.
The PM 10 count is at 435 in the severe category but the forecast is that it is expected to further deteriorate on Thursday and Friday. It is expected to cross the 500-mark during the day and worsen in the next couple of days, going up to the 522-mark. The PM 2.5 count is in the very poor category at 247 and is expected to worsen crossing the 300-mark in the coming days.
As per Safar India, the overall air quality has deteriorated to the higher end of the Very Poor category as forecasted. Surface-level winds are low and Westerly. Surface winds are likely to further slow down and surface inversion is likely to form. Under the calm wind-cold conditions, fog formation is likely in the region.
This would be mainly radiative fog as a result of locally generated favourable weather conditions and may not persist longer, said Safar India in its forecast. Slowing of dispersion owing to low ventilation is forecasted for the next two days. Hence, AQI is forecasted to further deteriorate to the higher end of the Very Poor category by Wednesday, 23rd Dec and Thursday, 24th Dec.
A few regions may even experience severe AQI for a shorter time period, especially during early morning. Secondary particulate formation mechanism (which rapidly multiplies particulate pollution) is forecasted not to be triggered at present, it said.
Surface-level winds are low and Westerly. Surface winds are likely to further slow down and surface inversion is likely to form. Under the calm wind-cold conditions, fog formation is likely in the region, Safar India said.
Forecast for Thursday
This would be mainly radiative fog as a result of locally generated favourable weather conditions and may not persist for long. Slowing of dispersion owing to low ventilation is forecasted for the next two days.
At Mathura Road in Delhi, AQI is in the severe category with PM 10 of 509 and PM 2.5 of 456. Lodhi Road is better in the very poor category with PM 10 of 375 and PM 2.5 of 395.
During the day on Tuesday, AQI was in the severe category at several places. It was 527 at Patparganj, 522 in Sriniwaspuri, 528 in Noida, 575 in Faridabad, 547 in Anand Vihar, and 399 at Mandir Marg, which was the best reading in the city.
