Delhi's Air Clears: A Rare Breath of Fresh Air

Delhi's air quality has seen a significant improvement, remaining in the 'satisfactory' range for a second consecutive day as of Tuesday. The daily average Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 86, marking the cleanest air spell for the city this year. This positive development is largely due to rainfall and strong winds experienced since Sunday night, which have effectively settled particulate matter.

This recent improvement represents one of Delhi's lowest AQI readings since October of the previous year. Data indicates that ozone (O3) was the primary pollutant on Tuesday, while gases like NO2 and CO were dominant on Monday. This shift from particulate matter dominance, seen earlier in the year, is typical of the pre-monsoon period.

Looking ahead, forecasts from the Centre's Air Quality Early Warning System predict a return to the 'moderate' AQI category by Wednesday as the current rainfall subsides. The air quality is expected to remain in this range until Friday. However, the outlook for the subsequent six days suggests a potential shift back to 'moderate' to 'poor' conditions.