Delhi Sees Brief Reprieve in Air Quality, But Freezing Temperatures Take Hold

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Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) saw a slight improvement, but still remained in the 'poor' category at 300 on Monday morning. However, the relief was short-lived as the city experienced its lowest minimum temperature of the season, dipping to a chilly 5.7 degrees Celsius, 4.6 degrees below normal. A 24-day streak of 'very poor' air quality in Delhi came to an end on Sunday, thanks to strong northwesterly winds that brought clearer skies and dispersed pollutants. The city's 38 monitoring stations recorded AQI readings, with 23 stations showing 'very poor' air quality. While the AQI improved from Sunday's reading of 279 to 300, the worst air quality was recorded at the Nehru Nagar station, with an AQI of 354. In contrast, the NSIT Dwarka station recorded the best AQI at 202. Experts attribute the improvement in air quality to strong winds that dispersed pollutants not just across Delhi but also in Punjab and Haryana. The consistent wind flow helped disperse pollutants that had accumulated over the past three weeks. Delhi's temperature drop below 6 degrees Celsius has left residents shivering. The city's Safdarjung station recorded the lowest minimum temperature of the season, making it the lowest November reading since at least 2022. This comes after Delhi recorded its lowest temperature in three years on November 26, with the minimum temperature plunging to 8 degrees Celsius.