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A spell of overnight rain early Monday has helped Delhi breathe slightly easier with the city’s air quality showing improvement.
A rainfall of 10-13 mm was reported in several parts of the city, as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The minimum temperature, recorded on Monday morning, was 20.4 degrees Celsius, nearly four degrees lower than that recorded on Sunday morning.
Data from the Central Pollution Control Board showed the city’s average AQI dropped to 123 at 7 am from Sunday’s 159.
As of Monday morning, Anand Vihar remained the most polluted station at 205 AQI (‘poor’), while Lodhi Road station reported the cleanest air at 78 (‘satisfactory’). Although the average PM 2.5 levels at the station — 63 micrograms per cubic metre — was just above the permissible limit of 60, average PM 10 levels stayed within the 100 microgram limit at 78.
The improvement in air quality followed light to moderate rainfall late Sunday night under the influence of a fresh western disturbance affecting northwest India. Safdarjung received 10.3 mm of rain and Pitampura 13.5 mm overnight.
The weather agency’s data showed that apart from Safdarjung and Pitampura, rainfall was also recorded at Mayur Vihar (11 mm), Pusa (8.5 mm), Palam (3.6 mm), and Janakpuri (4.5 mm).
According to the IMD’s daily bulletin, the city experienced gusty winds of 30-40 kmph, reaching up to 50 kmph in some areas.
The IMD said generally cloudy skies with a few spells of light to moderate rain are likely through Monday, accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning. Winds between 30 and 40 kmph may continue through the day, helping to prevent pollutant accumulation.
Light rain is also expected on Tuesday morning, after which skies are likely to turn partly cloudy with maximum temperatures around 30-31°C and minimums near 23°C.
Post-monsoon rainfall, coupled with sustained wind speeds, is expected to keep Delhi’s air cleaner for longer than usual this season. CPCB data shows that air quality has remained in the moderate or satisfactory category for most of October so far, a trend not often seen after monsoon withdrawal.
Meanwhile, stubble burning in neighbouring states continues to remain unusually low. Data available on Sunday showed no farm fires in Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, or Delhi, and only 32 incidents in Uttar Pradesh and five in Rajasthan.
In total, 210 farm fires have been reported across the five states since September 15, far lower than in recent years for the same period. Meteorologists attribute this to the delayed harvest season and the impact of earlier floods in Punjab, which have slowed paddy residue burning.
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