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Delhi Battles Persistent "Very Poor" Air Quality After Diwali
22 Oct
Summary
- Delhi's air quality index remains "very poor" for 3rd straight day
- Firecracker emissions dispersed by favorable winds and high temperatures
- Stubble burning's contribution to pollution levels is minimal
As of October 22nd, 2025, Delhi's air quality has remained in the "very poor" range for the third consecutive day, with an air quality index (AQI) of 333 recorded at 10 am. This comes after the city experienced its highest AQI of the season at 351 on the previous day.
The pollution levels had deteriorated to the "very poor" zone for the first time on Diwali day, with an AQI of 345. However, favorable meteorological conditions have since allowed for the dispersion of firecracker emissions. Delhi has recorded consistent easterly to south-easterly winds of up to 10 km per hour since Tuesday morning, blowing away the accumulated pollutants.
Additionally, the high daytime temperatures and ample sunshine have facilitated both vertical and horizontal movement of the pollutants. The hourly PM 2.5 levels, which had shot up to over 29 times the national permissible limit on Diwali night, have since seen a sharp decline.
Interestingly, the contribution of stubble burning to Delhi's PM 2.5 levels has been minimal, accounting for only 0.8% on Diwali day and 1% the following day. This is expected to rise marginally to 2.6% on Wednesday and 4.4% on Thursday as northeasterly winds continue to keep the emissions away.
The Early Warning System forecasts suggest that the air quality is likely to remain in the "very poor" range until at least Friday, before oscillating between "poor" and "very poor" in the subsequent six days.
