Delhi's Air Quality Tracker: Forecast for the Next 10 Days Remains Bleak

The air quality in Delhi hovered in the "poor" category on December 30, reporting an air quality index (AQI) of 225 at 4 pm, as per the daily bulletin issued by the Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) for Delhi. AQEWS, which is a real-time monitoring system tracking air quality and visibility levels, also said that such conditions are likely to persist until January 2. Thereafter, from January 3 onwards, Delhi's AQI is expected to be in the “poor” to “very poor” category for the next six days.

There has not been any significant improvement in Delhi's air quality since the last week when AQI in the region ranged between the "poor" to "very poor" category as well. The AQEWS had on December 26 also projected Delhi's AQI to be in the "poor" to "very poor" category for the upcoming six days.

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".

Read More: Air Quality Likely to Be in "Poor" to "Very Poor" Category for Next 6 Days

Forecast for the Next 3 Days

AQEWS' latest bulletin also said that there has been a fall in minimum temperature of up to 3 degrees Celsius over the Delhi-NCR region in the past 24 hours. Smog and fog conditions are likely to continue as well.

Citing a ventilation index less than 6,000 metre square per second (m²/s) and an average wind speed of less than 10 kilometre per hour (kmph) in the national capital, AQEWS has pegged the conditions as "unfavourable for dispersion of pollutants".

Delhi's ventilation index, which measures the atmosphere's potential to disperse air, is predicted to be 4500 m²/s today, 4400 m²/s tomorrow and 4800 m²/s the day after. On Thursday, the ventilation index is expected to be 4000 m²/s. 

Forecast for December 30: Wind speed is expected to less than 14 kmph till evening. Thereafter, it is expected to dip to less than 6 kmph. The AQEWS has also forecast smog and shallow fog conditions during the evening and night.

Forecast for December 31: Wind speed is likely to be less than less than 6 kmph during the morning, improving slightly to 10-12 kmph during the afternoon hours, and dipping to less than 8 kmph during the evening and night. Smog and fog conditions are predicted during the evening and night.

Forecast for January 1:  Wind speed is expected to be less than 8 kmph during morning hours, 16-20 kmph in the afternoon and back to less than 8 kmph thereafter. Smog and fog conditions are likely to persist during the evening and night.

Forecast for January 2: Wind speed is likely to be less than 6 kmph during morning hours, 16-20 kmph in the afternoon and 8 kmph during the evening and night. The city would continue to experience smog and fog during the evening and night.