New Delhi: The Delhi air quality index (AQI) is at emergency levels again Wednesday with an overall count of 476 and not much relief is expected for the next two days till Friday. While overall AQI is in the severe category, PM10 count is at 489 and PM2.5 at 326 is also in the severe category.
The toxic haze continues in the Delhi-NCR and will only worsen on Thursday. According to a forecast by Safar India, no sudden recovery is expected under this condition at least till Friday and the AQI is likely to deteriorate further towards severe plus category by Thursday.
The condition may slightly improve by November 15, it said.
According to Safar India, the effective stubble fire counts estimated by SAFAR-integrated multi-satellite methodology have shown decreasing trend and are 740 on November 11, but the transport-level wind direction is forecast to be highly favourable for plume intrusion till Friday.
The share of biomass in Delhi’s air quality is simulated to be 22 per cent on Wednesday even if the present declined fire trend is assumed. The sky is likely to be partly cloudy for the next two days under the influence of approaching Western Disturbance but no precipitation is expected. A decreasing trend in the mixing depth and ventilation coefficient is forecast for the next two days, it said.