Dusty winds paint Delhi sepia
HT Correspondent
NEW DELHI: The levels of PM10 (particulate matter of sizes up to 10 microns) shot up around five times the safe limit of 100 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3) in several parts of Delhi on Tuesday as dust blew in from Rajasthan, which, along with partly cloudy skies due to a western disturbance, pushed the maximum temperature below the 40-degree mark and maintained high humidity levels during the day.
Safdarjung, Delhi’s base station for weather, recorded a maximum of 38.4 degrees Celsius (°C) – around normal for this time of the season and 2.4 degrees down from a day ago. This is the lowest maximum temperature in the city since the 35.2°C on April 21.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast drizzle along with gusty winds of up to 50km/hour on Wednesday. The showers are expected to keep the maximum temperature around the 38-degree mark, but the mercury may see a rise once again from Thursday.
According to Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) data, Delhi’s hourly PM10 concentration at the Mandir Marg station shot up from 193µg/m3 at 9am, to 555µg/ m3 by 5pm. At Punjabi Bagh, PM10 levels peaked at 533µg/m3 at 3pm, while it touched 551µg/m3 at RK Puram at 5pm. PM 10 generally comprises of larger, coarser particles such as dust.
Even as the individual ambient air quality monitoring stations showed large fluctuations in PM10 concentration through the day, the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) data showed the 24-hour average PM10 levels shot up from around 226µg/m3 at 9am to only 266µg/m3 by 5pm. CPCB’S AQI bulletin showed Delhi’s overall air quality to be 227 in the ‘poor’ range on Tuesday, just a slight increase from 218 (poor) on Monday.
“The weather on Wednesday is a combination of dust and partly cloudy skies. Dust has blown towards Delhi from Rajasthan, while easterly winds on Monday brought moisture. The impact of this western disturbance influencing northwest India from May 3-5 is likely to bring peak weather activity to Delhi on Wednesday, causing wind speeds of up to 50 km/hr, dust storm and thunderstorm activity and drizzle in places of Delhi,” said a Met official.
While Delhi recorded a drop in the maximum temperature, it saw a rise in the minimum temperature, generally indicative of warm nights.
Safdarjung recorded a minimum of 28.5°C on Tuesday – four degrees above normal and 1.1 degree up from a day ago.
Meanwhile, Najafgarh and Jafarpur (40.3 degrees) saw the highest temperatures in Delhi on Tuesday, while the highest minimum temperature was recorded at the Sports Complex (30.8°C) in east Delhi (Akshardham).