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Delhi Air: Fewer Bad Days, Worse Typical Air
29 Oct
Summary
- Delhi's median AQI rose, indicating a worse typical day.
- Extreme pollution days decreased significantly in autumn.
- Stubble burning correlation to Delhi's AQI weakened sharply.
Delhi's air quality analysis for autumn between September 15 and October 23 reveals a mixed scenario. The average Air Quality Index (AQI) saw a decrease from 169.3 in 2025 to 142.6 in 2026, marking a 15.8% fall. This suggests an apparent improvement in overall air quality.
However, the median AQI, representing a typical day, increased by 14.1%, rising from 135 to 154. This indicates that while severe pollution events were less frequent, with days exceeding AQI 200 dropping from 10 to three, the air quality on an average day deteriorated.
The findings also question the primary role of stubble burning. Satellite data showed a marginal decrease in crop-residue fires in neighboring states. Crucially, the correlation between these fires and Delhi's AQI significantly weakened, dropping from 0.62 to 0.17.
Changing emissions and atmospheric conditions likely influenced the average AQI. Factors such as traffic, industry, and dust remain significant contributors to Delhi's pollution. The analysis emphasizes that a lower average AQI alone does not signify consistently cleaner air for residents.
