Delhi AQI Improves To 'Poor' National Capital Wakes Up To Cold Wave Conditions Amid IMD's Yellow Alert For Dense Fog

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Delhi's air quality improved to 'poor' category on Saturday, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 222 registered around 7:00 AM, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. The air quality data reported improvement since New Year as“strong winds and favourable meteorological conditions” brought relief from alarming pollution levels.

Several monitoring stations across the capital city reported 'poor' AQI with only Jahangirpuri recording 'very poor' air quality at 302. As many as 11 out of 37 monitoring stations in Delhi registered 'moderate' air quality on 3 January. Mandir Marg reported the best AQI reading of 126 on Saturday morning.

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Following a notable improvement in air quality, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Friday revoked GRAP Stage-3 curbs in the Delhi-NCR region. However, all pollution curb measures under Stages I and II of GRAP would remain in force.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) suggested that the AQI reading will hover in“poor” or“very poor” range in the coming days. The AQI of Delhi has shown significant improvement owing to strong winds and favourable meteorological conditions and has been recorded 236 on 02.01.2026. Further, the forecast by IMD/ IITM predicts the AQI to remain in poor to very poor category in coming days," the CAQM press release said.

The Decision Support System (DSS) date indicated that vehicular emissions were the primary reason for Delhi's pollution, leading with 11.11 per cent pollution load. It was followed by peripheral industries at 8.4 per cent, residential sources at 2.8 per cent, construction at 1.4 per cent and waste burning at one per cent.

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The weather agency issued a yellow alert, predicting dense fog conditions on 3 and 4 January. Despite the fog warning, Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) airport reported 1800 metre visibility at 5:30 AM and no disruption to flight operations was reported today.

IMD forecasted cold wave conditions for the capital city and predicted that similar weather conditions will prevail over the next three days due to the influence of Western Disturbance. A cold wave is declared when the minimum temperature drops 4.5 to 6.5 degrees Celsius below the normal average temperature, as per IMD.

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IMD in its latest weather bulletin stated,“Mainly clear sky. Moderate fog at many places with dense fog at isolated places during morning hours. The maximum and minimum temperatures in Delhi are likely to be in the ranges of 17°C to 19°C and 6°C to 8°C, respectively. The minimum temperature will be near normal, and the maximum temperatures will be above normal (0.3°C to 2.3°C) over Delhi.”

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