Pollution levels in the national capital continued to increase on Tuesday and its air quality index (AQI) reading reached 350 at 7am, which is considered to be in the “very poor” zone.
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data shows that the overall AQI reading of Delhi on Monday was 332, in the “very poor” category. This was a few points higher than the AQI reading of Sunday, which was 321, also in the “very poor” range.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) data shows that on Monday, the minimum temperature recorded at the Safdarjung observatory, which is considered the official recording of the city, was 5.5 degrees Celsius. This was three degrees below the season’s average.
The maximum temperature was 22.4 degrees Celsius.
On Sunday, the minimum temperature recorded at the Safdarjung observatory was 3.4 degrees Celsius, five notches below the season’s normal. This was the lowest recording for the season.
Scientists said that the spike in the temperature was because of the passing of a western disturbance in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.
“This marginal rise in the temperature was an impact of the western disturbance in the hills. By Tuesday, however, the temperature will start falling again and we are expecting it to come down to around 3 degrees Celsius in the coming days,” said Kuldeep Srivastava, head of IMD’s regional weather forecasting centre.