Air pollution worsens, AQI in severe category

New Delhi: Air pollution levels in Delhi worsened on Friday due to unfavourable meteorological conditions such as low temperature and slow wind speed with the air quality index reading 406 which comes under the 'severe' category.

The AQI is expected to improve from November 29 due to high wind speed. Local surface winds are likely to increase slightly for the next two days dispersing pollutants leading to a slight improvement in the air pollution, but the AQI will be in the 'higher end of very poor' category.

The share of stubble burning in Delhi's PM2.5 pollutants is eight per cent.

"Mixing layer height and wind are the dominant factors controlling air quality. From November 29 significant improvement in AQI is expected due to high wind speed," said the Ministry of Earth Sciences' air quality monitor SAFAR.

Neighbouring Faridabad (423), Ghaziabad (378), Greater Noida (386), Gurgaon (379) and Noida (394) also saw a dip in air quality on Friday evening.

The air quality in the national capital has remained 'very poor' or 'severe' on most of the days in November so far.

Delhi recorded the lowest air pollution levels in terms of the 24-hour average quality index on November 1 (AQI 281) and November 23 (AQI 290).

Delhi on Friday recorded a maximum temperature of 27.6 degrees Celsius, two notches above the season's average and a low of 11 degrees Celsius, normal for this time of the year. Humidity levels oscillated between 95 per cent and 48 per cent.