Air Quality Index

Delhi's minimum temperature on Thursday was 13 degrees Celsius and the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) still remains under the 'very poor' category. The relative humidity at 8.30 a.m. was recorded at 95 per cent. The city's maximum temperature for the day will settle at 28 degrees Celsius.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the maximum temperature for the day will settle at 29 degrees Celsius. On Tuesday, Delhi's maximum and minimum temperatures were recorded at 28.6 per cent and 13.4 degrees Celsius, both one notch above and below normal for this time of the year. With a dip in the temperatures and change in the wind direction, the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of the national capital at 9.30 a.m. was recorded at 362 (very poor) by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

Officials of the State Election Commission (SEC), which is conducting the politically important civic polls, on Tuesday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party has already secured the majority in the seven civic bodies in Jirania, Ranir Bazar, Mohanpur, Bishalgarh in Western Tripura, Santir Bazar and Udaipur in southern Tripura and Kamalpur in northern Tripura.

The Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) sub-committee on graded action plan on Monday reviewed air quality as well as meteorological and air pollution forecast and directed the states to strictly implement Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) measures.

The minimum temperature for the day has been recorded at 14 Degrees Celsius and maximum at 29 Degrees Celsius, India Meteorological Department (IMD) data showed. Relative humidity at 8.30 a.m. was recorded at 85 per cent. According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the severe category was because of the large influx of stubble related pollutants which appears to be due to much higher effective fire count observed than that assumed in the SAFAR model for forecasting.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), there was shallow to moderate fog in the morning while during the day, while the sky will remain partly cloudy during the day. The IMD said that strong winds at a speed of 25 to 30 km per hour will also prevail during the day.

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai will visit ITO, Near Old PHQ for the installation of Anti-Smog Gun on Friday, according to Aam Aadmi Party sources. An anti-smog gun is a device to combat air pollution which will spray atomised water to settle the dust and other suspended particles in the atmosphere

The already severe condition of the air quality on Thursday evening deteriorated further with pm2.5 concentration at 467 and pm10 concentration at 631 at 9 a.m., according to SAFAR data. There was moderate fog early in the morning, indicative of air quality may not improve much for the day.

The AQI touched 190 at the US Embassy at 6 p.m. after an AQI of 213 at 11 a.m. and an AQI of 210 at 12 noon on Wednesday. The US government website also gave a warning: "Everyone may begin to experience health effects when AQI values are between 151 and 200. Members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects." The meteorological agencies have predicted an AQI of 500 plus for Thursday and Friday when Delhiites burst crackers on Diwali day.

Relative humidity at 8.30 a.m. was recorded at 86 per cent. The rest of the six days will have similar temperatures with a mainly clear sky. However, the temperature in North India, including Delhi, may fall to 12-13 degrees Celsius by November 1 or 2, IMD has forecasted. On Tuesday, the maximum temperature at 29 degrees Celsius and minimum at 16 degrees Celsius.