Air quality in Delhi improved to 'poor' on Thursday following overnight rains, the weather office said. The minimum temperature in the national capital was recorded at 11.2 degrees Celsius, three notches above the season's average, it said. According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the air quality is going to see some more improvement during the day as moderate surface wind speed is positively working to disperse pollutants, a key factor now to keep pollution in check.
"Wednesday night's rainfall along with moderate winds were sufficient enough to wash away air pollutants significantly," the agency said in its forecast.
As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi recorded 1.4 mm of rainfall since Wednesday night which led to 93 per cent humidity at 8.30 am the next morning.
The maximum temperature on Thursday is likely to hover around 22 degrees Celsius and the minimum might dip to 10 degrees.
"There was mist in the morning. However, it will be a partly cloudy sky throughout the day with haze or smoke thereafter," an IMD official said.
The respite from 'severe' levels of pollution might not last long as humidity is very high and the temperature is likely to be cool, the SAFAR said.
"Both factors are unfavourable and are likely to push the air quality level to very poor by Friday," it said.
The average concentration of PM2.5 and PM10 in Delhi at 11 am was 97 and 171 microgrammes per cubic meters. Across NCR, it was 99 and 171 units, respectively, the data of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said.
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