Delhi's air quality remained very poor with an AQI of 385 on Tuesday morning, December 30, amid dense fog reducing visibility to 350 metres. The IMD issued an orange alert for moderate to dense fog, with pollution expected to worsen into the new year.
The pollution crisis in Delhi-NCR continued into late December. On Tuesday morning, December 30, the city's AQI stood at 385 (very poor category), with general visibility dropping to 350 metres due to dense fog. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for moderate fog at many places and dense fog at isolated spots.
The previous day, Monday, December 29, saw Delhi's AQI climb to 401 (severe) from 390, while Noida recorded 410 (India's most polluted), Ghaziabad improved to 393 (very poor), Greater Noida to 356 (very poor), and Gurgaon to 318 (very poor). Visibility at Safdarjung dipped to 50 metres early Monday, with light winds and smog hindering pollutant dispersion.
Temperatures remained chilly, with Monday's maximum at 20.3°C (near normal) and minimum at 8.3°C (above normal). A yellow alert is forecast for Wednesday with moderate fog. The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology predicts very poor air quality until December 31, deteriorating to severe on January 1.