Delhi’s air quality was expected to improve to the “moderate” range on Friday amid strong surface under the influence of a western disturbance, even as the minimum temperature was around normal at 9.1°C, compared to 10.2°C on Thursday, and likely to rise over the weekend and touch 12°C by Sunday.
On Thursday, Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 23.9°C, a degree above normal. The mercury is likely to go up to between 23 and 26°C by February 11.
An average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 225 (poor) was recorded at 8am. It was 241 (poor) at 4pm on Thursday. The air quality was likely to be in the “moderate” category until Sunday. “The outlook for the subsequent six days from February 9 [Monday] onwards shows air quality likely to remain between ‘moderate’ and the ‘poor’ category,” said the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi.
Private forecaster Skymet Weather vice president Mahesh Palawat said the fresh western disturbance will be fairly feeble, with no significant impact in the plains. “We will only see wind speeds picking up, but no other impact in Delhi-NCR [National Capital Region]. There are chances of snowfall in the upper reaches of Jammu and Kashmir, but no significant impact is expected through this snowfall as temperature will not dip significantly in the plains,” he said. He added that more western disturbances are expected in February, but will be feeble.