New Delhi, Oct 6 (IANS): The weather has taken a sudden turn in the national capital and its adjoining National Capital Region (NCR), with rain and thunderstorms expected to bring some relief from the prevailing pollution on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The maximum temperature is expected to be around 35 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature is likely to settle at 22 degrees Celsius on Tuesday. Humidity is expected to remain between 45 and 55 per cent.
According to the weather department’s forecast, Delhi is likely to experience partly cloudy skies on October 7, with temperatures expected to range between 34 and 22 degrees Celsius.
Similarly, partly cloudy conditions are expected on October 8, with the temperature likely to remain between 34 and 22 degrees Celsius. A slight drop in temperatures is expected on October 9, when the maximum temperature is forecast to reach 32 degrees Celsius.
Partly cloudy skies are also expected to prevail on October 10 and 11, with temperatures likely to remain between 32 and 33 degrees Celsius.
The change in weather, coupled with strong winds, has resulted in a slight improvement in air quality across parts of Delhi-NCR. However, pollution levels continue to remain a concern, with several areas recording air quality in the ‘poor’ to ‘very poor’ categories.
According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, Mundka recorded an AQI of 280, followed by Narela at 255, Okhla Phase 2 at 223 and North Campus at 205, all falling in the ‘poor’ category.
Other areas also recorded elevated AQI levels, including Mandir Marg at 160, Najafgarh at 166, Nehru Nagar at 145, NSUT Jafarpur at 154 and Patparganj at 149.
In Noida, Sector 116 recorded an AQI of 267, which falls in the ‘poor’ category. Sector 62 recorded an AQI of 185, while Sector 125 and Sector 1 recorded AQI levels of 136 and 137, respectively.
The situation remains particularly concerning in Ghaziabad, where several areas recorded air quality in the ‘very poor’ category. Sanjay Nagar recorded an AQI of 322, while Wave City recorded 305. Vasundhara recorded an AQI of 243, while Govindpuram and Indirapuram recorded 148 and 151, respectively.
According to the Meteorological Department, rainfall in the coming days could help further reduce pollution levels. However, experts have cautioned that if wind speeds decline after the rain, pollutants could accumulate in the atmosphere again, potentially worsening air quality.
