Delhi's air quality improves marginally, inches closer to 'poor' category

New Delhi: Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) was in the lower end of the 'very poor' category at 314 on Tuesday morning with mainly clear sky and shallow fog.

According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the level of PM 2.5 and PM 10 in the air at 9 a.m. stood at very poor and moderate levels, respectively.

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', then 401 and between 500 is considered 'severe'.

"The predominant surface wind is likely to be coming from Northwest direction of Delhi with wind speed 4 kmph, mainly clear sky and shallow fog in the morning on December 8," Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi that comes under the Ministry of Earth Sciences said, adding, "The ventilation index lower than 6000 m2/s with average wind speed less than 10 kmph is unfavourable for dispersion of pollutants."

Meanwhile, the national capital's maximum and minimum temperatures have been pegged at 24 degrees Celsius and 11 degrees Celsius for the day.

The relative humidity at 8.30 a.m. was recorded at 80 per cent.

As per India Meteorological Department's (IMD) forecast, this whole week the national capital will have foggy mornings with the maximum and minimum temperatures settling at 22 degrees Celsius and 9 degrees Celsius respectively.