As of 6:15 AM on Tuesday, Delhi’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) was reported at 275, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light to moderate rainfall in several areas, along with isolated thunderstorms and lightning, over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & Karaikal, Kerala, Lakshadweep, and coastal and south interior Karnataka from October 31 to November 1.
Additionally, isolated heavy rainfall is expected in north coastal Andhra Pradesh, as well as in coastal Karnataka on October 31 and November 1. Heavy rain is also likely on November 1 in south interior Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Kerala.
“No significant weather likely over rest parts of the country,” IMD said in a press release.
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Pollution, temperature still high in Delhi
Delhi’s air quality remained in the ‘very poor’ category on Monday due to decreased wind speeds, which have hindered the dispersion of pollutants, according to experts. As of 6:15 AM on Tuesday, Delhi’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) was reported at 275, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). In the Delhi-NCR region, AQI levels varied, with Faridabad at 180, Gurugram at 232, Ghaziabad at 227, Greater Noida at 219, and Noida at 226. Within Delhi, 11 areas recorded AQI levels between 300 and 400, indicating unhealthy air quality.
Notable readings included Alipur (306), Anand Vihar (314), Aya Nagar (313), Bawana (324), Jahangirpuri (306), Major Dhyan Chand Stadium (305), Mundka (338), Narela (313), Sonia Vihar (313), Vivek Vihar (310), and Wazirpur (309), as reported by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The weather department has predicted clear skies for the city today, with minimum temperatures around 20 degrees Celsius and maximum temperatures reaching approximately 34 degrees Celsius.
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Delhi’s AQI expected to soar to 350-400 this Diwali
The city’s AQI is expected to range between 350 and 400 on Diwali. “Delhi’s AQI rose from 270 on October 25 to 356 on October 27. The increase was due to a change in wind direction and speed,” Abhishek Kar, Senior Programme Lead at the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW), said.
“CAQM should consider implementing Stage 3 or 4 of the GRAP preemptively based on these forecasts. Moreover, authorities should strictly enforce the firecracker ban to prevent further deterioration of air quality during Diwali,” he said.
On Monday, data from 36 of the city’s 40 monitoring stations indicated that 23 stations—including Bawana, Burari, Jahangirpuri, Dwarka, Rohini, Anand Vihar, Mundka, Patparganj, Sonia Vihar, Wazirpur, Ashok Vihar, Aya Nagar, Mandir Marg, Okhla, Najafgarh, and Nehru Nagar—were classified as ‘very poor.’
In contrast, nearby Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Greater Noida, and Noida experienced slightly better air quality, falling into the ‘poor’ category. Gurugram, however, reported ‘moderate’ air quality with an AQI reading of 187, according to CPCB data.
Temperatures soars in Rajasthan
Cities in Rajasthan are facing increasingly hot days, with maximum temperatures ranging from 35 to 40.5 degrees Celsius—2 to 7 degrees above normal. On Sunday, Barmer recorded the highest temperature at 40.5 degrees Celsius, while Bikaner reached 40 degrees. Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Jalore, and Phalodi reported maximum temperatures between 39 and 40 degrees Celsius. A spokesperson from the Meteorological Department attributed this heat wave to westerly winds. On Sunday, maximum temperatures in Ajmer, Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Bikaner were recorded above normal, as well as in Kota and Udaipur.
