Sat Dec 07 01:30:00 UTC 2024: ## Delhi Braces for Temperature Drop, Air Quality Concerns Rise
**New Delhi, [Date]** – Delhiites are set to experience a significant dip in temperatures over the next few days, as the city’s unusually warm October and November come to an end. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts a decrease of up to two degrees Celsius in minimum temperatures due to fog, clouds, and light rain.
On Friday, Safdarjung weather station recorded a minimum temperature of 8.5°C, one degree below normal, while the maximum temperature reached 25.1°C. Lodhi Road recorded an even lower minimum temperature of 8.3°C. The IMD predicts a minimum temperature of 8°C and a maximum of 25°C for Saturday, with a possibility of light rain and increased cloud cover on Sunday due to a western disturbance. This could further lower the minimum temperature to around 6°C.
However, the anticipated cooler weather brings another concern: worsening air quality. Slower wind speeds are expected to trap pollutants, leading to a potential increase in the Air Quality Index (AQI). Authorities predict the AQI could reach the “very poor” category within the next two days. This follows a recent period of relatively clean air, with the AQI having risen by 32 points in just 24 hours after three days of improved conditions. On Friday, the AQI stood at 197, considered moderate, but 16 areas already showed AQI readings above 200 in the evening.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data reveals that six areas in Delhi – Ashok Vihar, Vivek Vihar, Jahangirpuri, Bawana, Anand Vihar, and Wazirpur – consistently experience the most severe pollution levels. A report by Respirer Living Sciences highlighted that PM2.5 levels in these areas exceeded 300 in November.
Meanwhile, neighboring Noida and Greater Noida have seen improved, but still elevated AQI levels for five consecutive days. While the AQI remained below 200 in both cities (125 and 180 respectively), the levels rose compared to the previous day, and PM2.5 levels remained higher than PM10.
The combination of dropping temperatures, increased humidity, and slow wind speeds is raising concerns about a potential return to the severely polluted conditions experienced earlier in November, prompting fears of a repeat of the stringent measures imposed under GRAP-4.
First Piper 