A meteorological mercy has descended on the National Capital Region, where fierce winds and patchy rains have dramatically lifted air quality from dire straits. Multiple locales now report healthier AQI figures, a welcome change after months of toxic haze choking daily life.
Spot checks confirm the uptick: Delhi’s Ashok Vihar logs 318, Bawana 329, Chandni Chowk 332, Rohini 326, Wazirpur 335, Sonia Vihar 338, Vivek Vihar 306. RK Puram and Siri Fort both at 301 show progress, bested by Shadipur’s 165 and Mathura Road’s 186.
Noida’s readings: Sector-62 at 186, Sector-125 255, Sector-1 262, Sector-116 235. In Ghaziabad, Loni holds at 320, countered by Sanjay Nagar’s stellar 139, Indirapuram 276, and Vasundhara 258.
Colder days ahead amplify the shift. IMD predicts mins of 12°C January 28, 8°C on 29th, 6°C through 30-31. Maxes around 19-20°C persist. Fog starts shallow, builds to moderate—no advisories for now.
The cleansing effect lingers, diluting airborne particles for continued relief. But plummeting mercury and fog banks could soon invigorate inversions, spiking pollution anew. As NCR savors this breather, it serves as a stark reminder of vulnerability to weather-driven air quality swings, calling for robust, year-round interventions.