Delhi's air quality improves slightly from 'severe' to 'very poor,' AQI at 398

The air quality in the national capital slightly improved from `severe` to `very poor category today.

New Delhi: The air quality in Delhi slightly improved from `severe` to `very poor category on Saturday (December 25, 2021) morning. According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital stands at 398. 

Delhi | Air Quality Index (AQI) is presently at 398 (overall) in the 'very poor' category, as per System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR)-India

Visuals from near Munirka and Nauroji Nagar pic.twitter.com/Q0nLhajSJh

— ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2021

Meanwhile, the air quality of the NCR region, like Noida and Gurugram, remains in the `severe` and in the `very poor category respectively. While Noida’s AQI stands at 491, Gurugram is at 365. AQI in Delhi`s Mathura road stands at 425 with severe category.

As per the government agencies, and 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`. 

Notably, the city has recorded 22 "severe" air quality days this year so far. In November, it recorded 11 such days, the highest in the month since the Central Pollution Control Board started maintaining air quality data in 2015.

The city's 24-hour average air quality index read 415 at 4 pm on Friday. It was 423 on Thursday, 407 on Wednesday and 402 on Tuesday.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the humidity levels oscillated between 51 percent and 97 percent.

Under the influence of the western disturbance, light rain is likely in the plains in north India between December 26 and December 29 which may improve the air quality a bit.

Meanwhile, Delhi's minimum temperature increased to 6.9 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperature settled at 22.9 degrees Celsius, a notch above normal.

(With agency inputs)