Air quality depletes in Delhi-NCR to severe category; temperature likely to dip further

On Saturday morning, the air quality in the national capital region deteriorated and fell in the severe category. The air quality index crossed 420 in many parts of Delhi and went till 441 in Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida and Faridabad. As the percentage of PM2.5 particles increased, the air quality has been put in red with the air quality index forecasted to reach 500 in some parts of NCR.

It is to note that the India Meteorological Department said that there will be a dry spell over the northwest parts of Indian subcontinents for the next two days. Due to this, there is not enough wind speed to disperse these pollutants in the air, leading to depletion in air quality across the city.

Further, IMD has forecasted that the minimum temperatures will be falling in the north-western parts of India by 2-4 degrees Celsius. The department said that cold wave conditions (which may turn into severe categories) are likely to persist over states including Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. The weather department also warned of cold conditions at isolated pockets in these states as well. The condition is likely to remain the same for the next 2-3 days.

According to the IMD, a cold day is when the minimum temperature drops below 10 degrees Celsius and the maximum temperature of the day is 4.4 degrees Celsius less than what the maximum temperature normally is.

Furthermore, dense to very dense fog conditions are likely to prevail within some isolated pockets over Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, northern areas of Rajasthan, along with Bihar, Sikkim, and some areas of West Bengal in the next three days.

Meanwhile, southern parts of India have developed cyclonic circulation conditions, especially over the southwest Bay of Bengal near Tamil Nadu coast till central parts of south Arabian Sea as well as adjoining equatorial Indian Ocean. This will lead to scattered to fairly widespread rainfall as well as moderate thunderstorm and lightning over Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karaikal, Mahe and Lakshadweep area. The situation is likely to remain like this for two days. After this, a reduction in rainfall activities can be expected, said IMD.