Delhi’s air quality is expected to be in the ‘moderate’ category for the next two days, said government-run monitoring agency SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research). However, there is an increase in fire count in Punjab and Haryana and the air quality is likely to deteriorate later this week.
Delhi’s overall AQI on Monday was 179, which was slightly less than Sunday’s 184, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
However, boundary layer wind direction is favourable for transport of the effect of stubble burning to Delhi and as the ventilation coefficient (VC) decreases, stubble burning will impact Delhi in the coming days. According to SAFAR officials, the air quality of Delhi is likely to turn poor later this week.
VC is the product of mixing height (the height of the atmosphere up to which pollutants can be dispersed) and average wind speed. So, a higher VC means that mixing height and wind speed are high and this aids in the better dispersion of pollutants and hence reduces air pollution.
