Delhi’s air quality turns ’severe’ despite GRAP IV curbs; IMD predicts light rain for Monday

Air quality in Delhi continued to worsen on Sunday — turning ‘severe’ across the city in spite of GRAP IV restrictions. Pollution levels are likely to dip slightly on Monday with the India Meteorological Department forecasting cloudy skies with light rain.

“Partly cloudy sky with possibility of very light rain to light rain. The predominant surface wind is likely to be from southeast direction with speed less than 04 kmph during morning hours. Smog or shallow fog in most of the places and moderate fog in isolated places is likely in the morning. The wind speed will increase thereafter becoming less than 06 kmph from northeast direction during afternoon. It will decrease thereafter becoming less than 04 kmph from east direction during evening and night. Smog/shallow fog is likely in the evening/night,” the Met department predicted. 

The national capital’s Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded in the ‘very poor’ category with a reading of 370 on Saturday.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’.

The maximum temperature was recorded three notches above normal at 24.1 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature had settled a notch below normal at 7.3 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

The city experienced fog in the morning, with humidity levels ranging between 68 per cent and 97 per cent, it said.

The IMD has forecast cloudy skies with light rain for Monday. The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to settle at 20 and 7 degrees Celsius, respectively.