
Air quality improved further on Sunday following showers two days ago in the national capital as the minimum temperature was recorded at 6.6 degrees Celsius, about 0.9 notch lower than normal.
Delhi breathed cleaner air in the morning, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 150 at 9 am in the "moderate" category, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The AQI dropped to the "moderate" category for the first time in over three and a half months on Saturday. Pollution levels in the city dropped following a spell of rain on Friday.
An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor', and 401 to 500 'severe', according to CPCB.
Night temperatures remained below the seasonal average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Among various weather stations, Safdarjung logged a minimum of 6.6 degrees Celsius, Palam 4.5 degrees Celsius, Lodhi Road 5.8 degrees Celsius, the Ridge 6.1 degrees Celsius and Ayanagar 5.3 degrees Celsius.
Relative humidity was recorded at 90 per cent at 8.30 am, the IMD said.
The weather office has forecast a partly cloudy sky with sustained surface winds of 15 to 25 kmph and the likelihood of mist during the night, with the maximum temperature expected to settle around 19 degrees Celsius.
Krish, a Class 12 student at Sanskriti School, and Samarth, a Class 11 student at Vasant Valley School, are the founders of Project Vayu. Krish has been named to the 2026 Diana Award Roll of Honour for the initiative.
All are hoping for rain that may wash away the toxic cloud hanging overhead. But the weather office ended that hope today, saying rain is unlikely in the plains. There might be some over the Himalayan region, but none is expected in Delhi, where the pollution has reached severe levels.
According to a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) report, the average PM2.5 concentration during the week before Diwali stood at 236 micrograms per cubic metre, almost double the 120 ug/m3 recorded in 2025. It was also the highest pre-Diwali average in three years.
The transport sector is expected to be the largest contributor to pollution on Wednesday, while the impact of stubble burning is anticipated to increase on Thursday, potentially worsening air quality further over the next few days, according to Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology models.
Air pollution in Delhi-NCR has worsened during the onset of winter (from October to mid-November) this year. This has been revealed in a new analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment or CSE, an organisation that monitors environmental issues.
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