Delhi witnesses year's first 'good air' quality day, records cleanest air quality with AQI of 45

Delhi experienced its first 'good' air quality day of the year on Sunday, boasting an Air Quality Index (AQI) value of 45, the city's cleanest air quality measurement for the whole year. 

According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Ghaziabad and Noida also registered 'good' air quality, while Gurgaon reported 'satisfactory' air quality.

The city experienced rainfall throughout the night of September 10 and into September 11 morning, extending into parts of the city until noon.  Over the last 24 hours, moderate rainfall was seen in most regions. The primary observatory in Delhi, Safdarjung, reported 38.6 mm of rain between 8:30 am on Saturday to 8:30 am on Sunday, then 1.3 mm of rain from that time till 11:30 am on Sunday. 

As per a report by The Indian Express, between 8.30 a.m. on Saturday and 8.30 a.m. on Sunday, Mayur Vihar received the most rain, measuring 58 mm.

Despite the rain, Delhi still had less rainfall than typical for September; on the 10th, just 48.3 mm as opposed to the average of 70 mm had been reported. Very little rain or drizzle is likely on Monday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), with no rain forecast on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. However, very little rain is possible on Friday.

An AQI ranging from zero to 50 falls under the "good" category, while an AQI between 51 and 100 is categorized as "satisfactory." Moving up the scale, an AQI of 101 to 200 is considered "moderate," while the range of 201 to 300 falls under the "poor" category. Further deterioration in air quality is seen in the "very poor" category, which encompasses AQI values between 301 and 400. Finally, the most severe air quality is indicated by an AQI between 401 and 500, classified as "severe."

Previously, on July 29, when the Air Quality Index (AQI) dipped to 59 and fell into the "satisfactory" category, Delhi had its cleanest air of the year 2023. Only three "good" air quality days were recorded in Delhi last year, all of which fell in September and October. In October of 2021, the city experienced one day of "good" air quality. In comparison, according to CPCB statistics, 2020 had five such days and 2019 had two.