Light Rain and Thunderstorm Bring Marginal Relief in Delhi, Air Quality Improves to ‘Poor’ Category

New Delhi
Light rainfall accompanied by gusty winds and a brief thunderstorm brought temporary relief to residents of the national capital on Friday morning, leading to a slight improvement in air quality levels across Delhi. According to official data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the city’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 297 at 7 am, placing it in the ‘poor’ category.

This marked a marginal improvement from the previous day, when Delhi’s AQI had slipped into the ‘very poor’ range with a reading of 312. Despite the improvement, pollution levels remained a concern in several parts of the city.

Areas such as Wazirpur (351), Bawana (342), Ashok Vihar (335), Punjabi Bagh (326), Chandni Chowk (326), Anand Vihar (317), RK Puram (315) and Dwarka Sector 8 (316) continued to record poor air quality. Meanwhile, ITO reported a relatively lower AQI of 266, though it still fell under the ‘poor’ category.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that the minimum temperature in Delhi hovered around 16.4 degrees Celsius in the morning. Weather conditions included light rain, cloud cover, and moderate winds, which helped disperse pollutants to some extent.

As per CPCB standards, AQI values between 201 and 300 are classified as ‘poor’, while readings above 300 fall into the ‘very poor’ category. Health experts continue to advise vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly, and those with respiratory issues, to limit outdoor exposure.

In a related development, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) recently lifted Stage III restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR, citing an improving trend in air quality and favourable weather forecasts. The decision came after sustained improvement in AQI readings over the past few days.

Meanwhile, rainfall was also reported in parts of Jammu, where cold weather conditions persisted.

Authorities continue to closely monitor pollution levels as weather conditions evolve, with officials stressing that sustained improvement will depend on consistent meteorological support and emission control measures.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Bharatiya News staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)