After days of dense smog and dangerous levels of pollution, Delhiites got some respite on Friday thanks to change in weather conditions. Further improvement is expected on Saturday, as per forecast by SAFAR and the MeT Department, though pollution levels are expected to remain ‘severe’, only reducing to ‘very poor’ from Sunday.
From November 7-9, the concentration levels of particulate matter had been well over eight times the safe limit. On Friday — though still in the severe category — the average levels of both PM2.5 and PM10 were between five to six times the standards, as per the SAFAR index of the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences.
A SAFAR report stated the PM2.5 level had come down from an average of 640 micrograms per cubic metre (ug/m3) on November 9 to 370 ug/m3, which is just over six times the standard of 60 ug/m3, on Friday.
The level of PM10 had reduced from 895 ug/m3 on November 9 to 587 ug/m3, which is just over five times the standard of 100 ug/m3.
Weather conditions
Pollution level in the Capital had reached ‘severe’ level on November 7 when calm conditions on the ground coupled with winds from north India, bringing in smoke from crop residue fires, led to the formation of dense smog.
The situation started improving from November 9 as upper atmosphere winds began slowing down and the influx of stubble smoke reduced, as per SAFAR.
Meanwhile, the air quality index for Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad - remained in the ‘severe’ category for a fourth day, as per the Central Pollution Control Board.
