New Delhi – Delhi continues to struggle with hazardous air quality as the Delhi AQI stayed dangerously close to the ‘severe’ threshold on Sunday, with forecasters predicting no improvement in the coming days. Low wind speeds and dipping temperatures have created a perfect storm for pollutant accumulation, leaving residents trapped in a cycle of toxic air that shows no signs of abating. The Capital’s air quality has become a major public health emergency, affecting millions of residents daily.
On Sunday at 4pm, the city’s 24-hour average Delhi AQI stood at 391—firmly in the ‘very poor’ category. This represents a concerning upward trend, as the reading was 370 at the same time on Saturday and 364 on Friday, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board. The steady increase demonstrates how meteorological conditions are conspiring to worsen an already dire situation.
Eighteen Days of Continuous Poor Air Quality
The Delhi AQI has remained in the ‘very poor’ category for 18 near continuous days since November 6, creating an extended period of hazardous breathing conditions for the city’s residents. During this period, the capital experienced three ‘severe’ air days between November 11 and 13, when pollution levels reached their most dangerous threshold. Perhaps most alarmingly, Delhi has not recorded any ‘good’ air days in two years, highlighting the chronic nature of the air quality crisis facing the metropolis.
The CPCB classifies air quality across a spectrum: ‘good’ when Delhi AQI is 50 or lower; ‘satisfactory’ between 51 and 100; ‘moderate’ between 101 and 200; ‘poor’ between 201 and 300; ‘very poor’ between 301 and 400; and ‘severe’ when it exceeds 400. With current readings hovering in the high 300s, the capital teeters on the edge of severe pollution.
Public Health Crisis Deepens
The dense haze still lingering over the city continues to impact visibility significantly and has prompted serious health concerns among residents. Medical facilities across Delhi have reported increased cases of respiratory, ocular and pulmonary issues among residents exposed to the toxic air. The prolonged exposure to elevated Delhi AQI levels poses particular risks to vulnerable populations including children, elderly citizens, and those with pre-existing respiratory conditions.
Citizens have begun taking to the streets in protest against the worsening air quality. On Sunday, protesters gathered at India Gate to raise slogans demanding action on the air pollution crisis, demonstrating growing public frustration with the seemingly intractable problem that returns every winter season.
Monitoring Stations Reveal Severe Hotspots
At 4pm on Sunday, CPCB data revealed a troubling picture across Delhi’s monitoring network. Of the capital’s 39 ambient air quality monitoring stations, 19 were recording ‘severe’ Delhi AQI readings with the remaining 20 in ‘very poor’ category. This means nearly half of the city’s monitoring locations had crossed the critical 400 AQI threshold.
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The worst impacted area was Wazirpur with a staggering reading of 464, followed by Vivek Vihar at 458 and Rohini at 457. These severely affected zones highlight how certain neighborhoods face even more dangerous conditions than the city’s overall average Delhi AQI suggests, with residents in these areas breathing air far more toxic than health standards permit.
Meteorological Factors Compound Crisis
Calm surface winds and long winter nights are allowing pollutants to accumulate in the atmosphere, preventing the Delhi AQI from improving naturally. According to an India Meteorological Department official, consistent winds over 15-20 km/hr could help disperse accumulated pollutants. However, no significant change in weather conditions is likely in the coming days, meaning natural relief remains elusive.
Wind speeds will remain low during nighttime and early morning hours, possibly picking up to only 5-10 km/hr during the day—insufficient to clear the accumulated pollution. This stagnant air pattern acts like a lid, trapping pollutants close to the ground where they continue to affect public health.
Temperature Drop Adds to Woes
Delhi’s minimum temperature on Sunday was 10.4°C—a degree below normal and lower than Saturday’s 11.8°C. The maximum temperature reached 26.7°C, broadly normal for the season, after touching 27.3°C a day earlier. These cooler temperatures, while typical for November, contribute to the Delhi AQI crisis by creating atmospheric conditions that trap pollutants.
According to IMD forecasts, the minimum temperature is expected to dip further to between 9°C and 11°C on Monday, and to between 8°C and 10°C on Tuesday and Wednesday. The maximum temperature is likely to stay between 24°C and 26°C until Tuesday, possibly falling by another degree on Wednesday.
No Relief on the Horizon
Shallow fog is expected during early morning hours over the next three days, the IMD warned. These conditions may further limit pollutant dispersion and keep the haze across the city intact, suggesting that elevated Delhi AQI readings will persist. The combination of low wind speeds, dropping temperatures, and morning fog creates a meteorological scenario that prevents natural air quality improvement.
As the capital braces for more days of hazardous air, the Delhi AQI crisis underscores the urgent need for both immediate emergency measures and long-term structural solutions to address the recurring pollution emergency that has become an annual public health disaster for millions of residents.
