New Delhi, November 2, 2024: Delhi air quality showed surprising resilience post-Diwali this year, recording its second cleanest air since 2015. Despite an expected dip to the “severe” category, the Air Quality Index (AQI) stayed in the “very poor” range, attributed largely to favorable wind speeds reaching up to 16 km/h, which helped disperse pollutants.
The city’s 24-hour AQI, which rose sharply on Thursday evening, peaked at 362 by Friday morning. However, sustained strong winds swept across the region, dispersing smoke and particulate matter, leading to a drop in AQI to 339 by late afternoon and further down to 323 by evening.
Fireworks, stubble burning, and emissions from local sources contributed to the pollution levels after Diwali, pushing the AQI up on Thursday night. Yet, the quick dispersal of pollutants came as a relief, sparing Delhi from reaching its usual post-Diwali “severe” AQI levels.
Meteorology expert Mahesh Palawat from Skymet explained the role of temperature in pollution levels, stating that “higher temperatures help keep the mixing height elevated, allowing pollutants to disperse.” In contrast, cooler temperatures slow wind speed, trapping pollutants close to the surface in a phenomenon known as inversion.
Delhi’s weather conditions thus provided a rare post-Diwali respite, offering residents a cleaner air quality than usual for the season.
Editor: Miss Vaishali Verma
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