New Delhi: The air quality inched closer to the severe-plus category as the air quality index (AQI) rose to 445 on Wednesday, according to Central Pollution Control Board’s bulletin released at 4pm. The combination of calm wind conditions and foggy weather led to a build-up of pollution as emissions from local and regional sources continued to remain high.
Dense fog was observed at Safdarjung, the city’s base station, with the lowest visibility dipping to 50 metres. India Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for dense to very dense fog for Thursday and Friday.
CPCB’s data shows that Delhi’s AQI was 439 at 12pm, which rose to 449 at 7pm. An AQI above 400 is considered severe while when it surpasses 450, it is called severe-plus. According to Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, the forecasting body under the Union earth sciences ministry, the air quality is likely to stay severe on Thursday.
“As calm wind conditions are prevailing in the city, there has been no improvement in the air quality. Since a western disturbance is impacting the region, easterly winds are blowing in the city. Easterly winds are adding to the moisture content, leading to the formation of fog,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice-president of Skymet Meteorology. He added that similar conditions were likely to prevail for the next two days.
The visibility dropped to 50 metres at 6.30am, which improved to 100 metres at 7.30am and further to 200 metres at 8.30am. However, Palam recorded the lowest visibility of 300 metres from 6am to 9.30am, according to IMD. Since there was no dense fog formation at Delhi airport, no flight was diverted. However, some flights were delayed due to weather conditions at the origin airport, said an IGIA official.
The Met department has predicted that dense fog is likely at most stations on Thursday and Friday, with chances of very dense fog at isolated places. “Very dense fog contains particulate matter and other pollutants, and in case exposed, it gets lodged in the lungs, clogging them and decreasing their functional capacity, which increases episodes of wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath,” IMD stated in its bulletin.
The maximum temperature was 23 degrees Celsius, one degree above normal. The minimum temperature was 7.6 degrees Celsius, one degree below normal.
AQI at many stations remained in the higher end of the severe category throughout the day on Wednesday. Anand Vihar was the most polluted station in the city with an AQI of 484 on a scale up to 500 at 4pm. It was followed by Wazirpur at 482 and Nehru Nagar at 481.
In this Dec so far, Delhi has witnessed two severe days. However, Nov recorded eight severe days, including two severe-plus days when AQI crossed 450, and 22 very poor days. This Nov also witnessed AQI reaching 494 on Nov 18, making it the second most polluted day ever.
New Delhi: The air quality inched closer to the severe-plus category as the air quality index (AQI) rose to 445 on Wednesday, according to Central Pollution Control Board’s bulletin released at 4pm. The combination of calm wind conditions and foggy weather led to a build-up of pollution as emissions from local and regional sources continued to remain high.
Dense fog was observed at Safdarjung, the city’s base station, with the lowest visibility dipping to 50 metres. India Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for dense to very dense fog for Thursday and Friday.
CPCB’s data shows that Delhi’s AQI was 439 at 12pm, which rose to 449 at 7pm. An AQI above 400 is considered severe while when it surpasses 450, it is called severe-plus. According to Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, the forecasting body under the Union earth sciences ministry, the air quality is likely to stay severe on Thursday.
“As calm wind conditions are prevailing in the city, there has been no improvement in the air quality. Since a western disturbance is impacting the region, easterly winds are blowing in the city. Easterly winds are adding to the moisture content, leading to the formation of fog,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice-president of Skymet Meteorology. He added that similar conditions were likely to prevail for the next two days.
The visibility dropped to 50 metres at 6.30am, which improved to 100 metres at 7.30am and further to 200 metres at 8.30am. However, Palam recorded the lowest visibility of 300 metres from 6am to 9.30am, according to IMD. Since there was no dense fog formation at Delhi airport, no flight was diverted. However, some flights were delayed due to weather conditions at the origin airport, said an IGIA official.
The Met department has predicted that dense fog is likely at most stations on Thursday and Friday, with chances of very dense fog at isolated places. “Very dense fog contains particulate matter and other pollutants, and in case exposed, it gets lodged in the lungs, clogging them and decreasing their functional capacity, which increases episodes of wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath,” IMD stated in its bulletin.
The maximum temperature was 23 degrees Celsius, one degree above normal. The minimum temperature was 7.6 degrees Celsius, one degree below normal.
AQI at many stations remained in the higher end of the severe category throughout the day on Wednesday. Anand Vihar was the most polluted station in the city with an AQI of 484 on a scale up to 500 at 4pm. It was followed by Wazirpur at 482 and Nehru Nagar at 481.
In this Dec so far, Delhi has witnessed two severe days. However, Nov recorded eight severe days, including two severe-plus days when AQI crossed 450, and 22 very poor days. This Nov also witnessed AQI reaching 494 on Nov 18, making it the second most polluted day ever.
Dense fog was observed at Safdarjung, the city’s base station, with the lowest visibility dipping to 50 metres. India Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for dense to very dense fog for Thursday and Friday.
CPCB’s data shows that Delhi’s AQI was 439 at 12pm, which rose to 449 at 7pm. An AQI above 400 is considered severe while when it surpasses 450, it is called severe-plus. According to Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, the forecasting body under the Union earth sciences ministry, the air quality is likely to stay severe on Thursday.
“As calm wind conditions are prevailing in the city, there has been no improvement in the air quality. Since a western disturbance is impacting the region, easterly winds are blowing in the city. Easterly winds are adding to the moisture content, leading to the formation of fog,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice-president of Skymet Meteorology. He added that similar conditions were likely to prevail for the next two days.
The visibility dropped to 50 metres at 6.30am, which improved to 100 metres at 7.30am and further to 200 metres at 8.30am. However, Palam recorded the lowest visibility of 300 metres from 6am to 9.30am, according to IMD. Since there was no dense fog formation at Delhi airport, no flight was diverted. However, some flights were delayed due to weather conditions at the origin airport, said an IGIA official.
The Met department has predicted that dense fog is likely at most stations on Thursday and Friday, with chances of very dense fog at isolated places. “Very dense fog contains particulate matter and other pollutants, and in case exposed, it gets lodged in the lungs, clogging them and decreasing their functional capacity, which increases episodes of wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath,” IMD stated in its bulletin.
The maximum temperature was 23 degrees Celsius, one degree above normal. The minimum temperature was 7.6 degrees Celsius, one degree below normal.
AQI at many stations remained in the higher end of the severe category throughout the day on Wednesday. Anand Vihar was the most polluted station in the city with an AQI of 484 on a scale up to 500 at 4pm. It was followed by Wazirpur at 482 and Nehru Nagar at 481.
In this Dec so far, Delhi has witnessed two severe days. However, Nov recorded eight severe days, including two severe-plus days when AQI crossed 450, and 22 very poor days. This Nov also witnessed AQI reaching 494 on Nov 18, making it the second most polluted day ever.
New Delhi: The air quality inched closer to the severe-plus category as the air quality index (AQI) rose to 445 on Wednesday, according to Central Pollution Control Board’s bulletin released at 4pm. The combination of calm wind conditions and foggy weather led to a build-up of pollution as emissions from local and regional sources continued to remain high.
Dense fog was observed at Safdarjung, the city’s base station, with the lowest visibility dipping to 50 metres. India Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for dense to very dense fog for Thursday and Friday.
CPCB’s data shows that Delhi’s AQI was 439 at 12pm, which rose to 449 at 7pm. An AQI above 400 is considered severe while when it surpasses 450, it is called severe-plus. According to Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, the forecasting body under the Union earth sciences ministry, the air quality is likely to stay severe on Thursday.
“As calm wind conditions are prevailing in the city, there has been no improvement in the air quality. Since a western disturbance is impacting the region, easterly winds are blowing in the city. Easterly winds are adding to the moisture content, leading to the formation of fog,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice-president of Skymet Meteorology. He added that similar conditions were likely to prevail for the next two days.
The visibility dropped to 50 metres at 6.30am, which improved to 100 metres at 7.30am and further to 200 metres at 8.30am. However, Palam recorded the lowest visibility of 300 metres from 6am to 9.30am, according to IMD. Since there was no dense fog formation at Delhi airport, no flight was diverted. However, some flights were delayed due to weather conditions at the origin airport, said an IGIA official.
The Met department has predicted that dense fog is likely at most stations on Thursday and Friday, with chances of very dense fog at isolated places. “Very dense fog contains particulate matter and other pollutants, and in case exposed, it gets lodged in the lungs, clogging them and decreasing their functional capacity, which increases episodes of wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath,” IMD stated in its bulletin.
The maximum temperature was 23 degrees Celsius, one degree above normal. The minimum temperature was 7.6 degrees Celsius, one degree below normal.
AQI at many stations remained in the higher end of the severe category throughout the day on Wednesday. Anand Vihar was the most polluted station in the city with an AQI of 484 on a scale up to 500 at 4pm. It was followed by Wazirpur at 482 and Nehru Nagar at 481.
In this Dec so far, Delhi has witnessed two severe days. However, Nov recorded eight severe days, including two severe-plus days when AQI crossed 450, and 22 very poor days. This Nov also witnessed AQI reaching 494 on Nov 18, making it the second most polluted day ever.
