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Delhi Air Quality Reverses Normal Trend This February
14 Feb
Summary
- Air quality in Delhi showed an unusual pattern in February.
- Pollution levels improved during the night and worsened at sunrise.
- Meteorological factors are suspected as the cause for this anomaly.
Residents of Delhi experienced an atypical air quality pattern in February 2026, deviating from the expected diurnal cycle. Normally, air pollution in the Indo-Gangetic plains intensifies after sunset and recedes with the rising sun on dry, cool days. However, data analyzed for February revealed a reversal of this trend on multiple occasions within the capital.
On several days last month, air quality notably improved as the night progressed. Paradoxically, pollution levels began to climb as sunrise approached and continued to worsen even after daylight appeared. This phenomenon was observed during the intervening nights of February 3-4 and 10-11, where deterioration continued, and on February 7-8 and 11-12, with improvements followed by a worsening trend.
The consistent pollution sources active throughout the year do not fully account for these observed day-night variations, especially outside the peak winter months. This suggests that prevailing meteorological conditions played a significant role in influencing the intra-day air quality fluctuations. Researchers are examining these specific weather patterns to understand the cause of this unusual behavior.
