Warm morning in Delhi; air quality 'poor'

Warm morning in Delhi; air quality 'poor'
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New Delhi: The national capital witnessed a warm morning on Friday with the minimum temperature setting at 19.6 degrees celsius, three notches above normal, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The IMD said the maximum temperature is expected to touch 35 degrees celsius.

The relative humidity in the city at 8.30 am was 76 per cent. The weather office has predicted mainly clear sky during the day.

The air quality was recorded in the 'poor category'. The Air Quality Index (AQI) at 9.18 am was 283, according to the latest estimates updated by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

The SAFAR has predicted that the air quality is likely to improve in the coming days but will remain in the 'poor' or 'upper end of the moderate' category.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory, 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

For the next two days, the SAFAR noted that the AQI is likely to improve but remain in the 'poor' or 'upper end of moderate' category due to relatively high wind speeds and high mixing layer height enhancing ventilation

From March 27 onwards, the AQI is expected to degrade but likely to be within the 'poor' category due to relatively low wind speed that reduces ventilation of pollutants, the SAFAR said, adding the gradual increase in maximum temperature from March 26 onwards contributes to the dilution of near-surface pollutants by enhanced convection.