Delhi-NCR AQI Level Today, November 26: Particulate matter content dips, but air still toxic

Delhi-NCR AQI Level Today, November 26: The AQI has shown marginal improvement, but is still toxic to breathe. Check the latest air quality index, pollution level, and smog conditions across Delhi and NCR with health safety advice and AQI category updates.

A woman in Gurugram crosses a road while covering her face on Tuesday to shield herself from pollution (Photo: PTI).

Delhi Air Quality Index (AQI) Level Today, November 26, 2025: The air quality in Delhi and other parts of the National Capital Region continued to remain worrying on Wednesday morning, despite showing marginal improvement. With no rain forecast in the next seven days, it is unlikely that the air quality index (AQI) in Delhi is going to improve anytime soon. At 7 AM on Wednesday, the Delhi AQI level read 373 in the severe category, as per air quality tracker aqi.in.

Delhi AQI today: On November 26, the 24-hour data showed a slight dip in the AQI, but the AQI remains in the ‘severe’ category (Source: aqi.in).

The Ethiopian volcanic ash cloud that passed over India to China did not seem to worsen the air quality as was feared. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had said that it would pass through the upper troposphere and would have no bearing on India’s weather or air quality.

ALSO READ | How Delhi’s air quality monitors work — and why their readings can falter

The IMD’s forecast of “mainly clear sky; shallow fog at most places and moderate fog at isolated places during morning hours”, brought no joy either. No rain means there is little chance of the pollutants getting washed or blown away.

#WATCH | Delhi | Visuals from near India Gate as a layer of toxic smog blankets the city. AQI (Air Quality Index) around the area is 358, categorised as ‘Very Poor’, as claimed by CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board). pic.twitter.com/qja8IXXU5s

— ANI (@ANI) November 26, 2025

Delhi AQI Level Today: Air Quality Data

The particulate matter (PM) 2.5 level in Delhi showed a marked dip on Wednesday, aqi.in data showed. Although it dropped from the 289 at 7 AM on Tuesday to 214 the same time on Wednesday, the PM 2.5 level remained well above the World Health Organization (WHO) prescribed cap.

Delhi-NCR AQI Today: The change in PM 2.5 level over 24 hours till November 26 morning (Source: aqi.in).

The level of PM 10, which is the main pollutant in Delhi, also showed a drop, but was yet again far higher than the WHO prescribed limit.

Delhi AQI today: The PM 10 level at 7 AM on November 26 dropped to 285 from 391 24 hours ago (Source: aqi.in).

The World Health Organization (WHO) says the PM 2.5 exposure in 24 hours must not exceed a maximum of 15 μg/m3, and PM 10 exposure must be limited to 45 μg/m3.

A combination of these two and other pollutants has made Delhi’s air as harmful as smoking nearly 10 cigarettes a day, as per aqi.in.

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Delhi-NCR pollution level area-wise

The AQI in other cities of the national capital region (NCR) also showed some dip, with Noida and Greater Noida recording AQIs of 413 and 443 at 7 AM, respectively. Gurugram AQI came down to 346 as compared to 418 just 24 hours ago, while Faridabad AQI dipped from 433 to 391.

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