Haze blankets Mumbai, air quality remains poor
MUMBAI: The city was covered in haze throughout the day on Monday, indicating poor air quality.
Air quality index (AQI), the pollutant-measuring indicator, recorded ‘poor’ at 216 during the day, and 207 in the evening. On Sunday, Mumbai recorded an AQI of 220, according to the System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).
Pollution levels are likely to remain in the ‘poor’ category as SAFAR predicted an AQI of 201 for Tuesday. While an AQI level from 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 is moderate, 201-300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor and 401 and above is severe.
The weather bureau said the current weather pattern had increased pollution levels over Mumbai. “A large amount of dust particles are being carried by land breeze or easterly winds over the city during the day and the sea breeze (westerly winds) is setting in late daily. As a result, dispersion of dust particles is not happening fast. As long as the wind pattern does not change, air quality will not improve,” said Bishwambhar Singh, the director of the Regional Meteorological Centre, Mumbai, India Meteorological Department.
Andheri was the most polluted location of 10 sites where air quality is monitored with AQI levels at 354 (very poor). At a close second was Mazagaon at 351 (very poor) followed by Malad at 307 (very poor). Worli had the cleanest air in the city at 159 (moderate). The weather bureau also issued a forecast of cloudy conditions and possibility of light rain in Mumbai and surrounding areas on Tuesday. Various areas along south Konkan and southcentral Maharashtra received rainfall between Sunday and Monday.
“Due to the formation of a trough (weather system) from interior Karnataka all the way up to south Madhya Pradesh, the entire Konkan coast and central parts of the state will continue to receive light rain. Mumbai could expect isolated light showers,” said Singh.
The day temperature on Monday in the suburbs was 34.2 degrees Celsius, almost a degree Celsius above normal, and 32.6 degrees Celsius in south Mumbai, 0.5 degree Celsius below normal. The night temperature was a degree Celsius above normal both in south Mumbai and the suburbs. Cloudy conditions with the possibility of light rain are expected on Tuesday.