Delhi AQI today rises to 129 as air quality dips 10 days before Diwali

Delhi’s air quality is worsening ahead of Diwali, with AQI touching 129 in the ‘moderately polluted’ range early on October 10. A dip in temperatures, fog, and stagnant winds are trapping PM2.5 pollutants, are raising health concerns for residents as pollution is forecast to persist through the weekend.

By: Express Web Desk

New Delhi | Updated: October 10, 2025 12:48 PM IST

2 min read

Delhi Air Quality Today: Delhi pollution is rising by the day and with just 10 days to Diwali, this is a major concern for residents. Masks could come to use again soon. (Representative image: Unsplash).

Delhi AQI today: With Diwali approaching, the Delhi AQI is rising fast and its a cause for worry. At 5:30 am on Thursday, the AQI was around 91. On Friday, October 10, the AQI was much higher and was in the ‘moderately polluted’ category already, according to the Air Quality Early Warning System (EWS) for Delhi.

However, it’s not only Diwali that is to be blamed for the pollution and rising Delhi AQI. A host of other facors, including stubble burning in the neighbouring Haryana and Punjab and vehicular emmissions, are also to be blamed.

The AQI reading is categorised as follows: Good (0-50), Satisfactory (51-100), Moderately Polluted (101-200), Poor (201-300), Very Poor (301-400), and Severe (401-500). Thus, higher the AQI reading, the unhealthier it gets to breathe.

The Delhi AQI was 129 at 5:30 am. However, it was forecast to go down to 91 as the day progressed. The AQI is likely to go back up and remain over 100 on Saturday. The rising AQI ahead of Diwali is a cause for concern.

The most polluted region on Friday morning was PUSA (198), followed by Mathura Road (173).

Weather forecast in Delhi for October 10

The temperature had also dipped below 20 degrees Celsius. At 5:30 am, the temperature was 19.2 degrees Celsius, which explained the nip in the air early morning.

The temperature is forecast to rise to 30-32 degrees Celsius and the minimum for the day is likely to be in the range of 18-20 degrees Celsius.

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As temperature dips in a region, the PM2.5 pollutant gets harder to disperse. The development of fog and the lack of a constant wind also contributes to the pollution and rising AQI.

How is AQI determined?

AQI is derived from various parameters. The most prominent among these is the particulate matter (PM) 2.5 pollutant, which is very fine and easy to breathe in. This causes the most harm to humans.

Apart from PM2.5, there are other pollutant/parameters like PM 10, Carbon Monoxide (CO), Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), and Ozone (O3). A single numerical value is derived based on the readings of these parameters to give us an idea of whether the air that we are breathing is healthy or hazardous.

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