New Delhi (NVI): The air quality over Delhi-NCR is likely to remain in ‘moderate’ to ‘satisfactory’ category during the next two days, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
According to the IMD’s Environment Monitoring and Research Centre (EMRC), “The air quality over Delhi-NCR is likely to remain in moderate category on March 22 and moderate to satisfactory category on March 23 and 24.”
This forecast is based on air mass inflow in Delhi along with predicted ventilation coefficient and weather.
Moreover, the outlook for subsequent five days forecasts that the air quality is likely to improve and remain in ‘moderate’ to ‘poor’ category.
In a statement, the Ministry of Earth Science said that, “The predominant surface wind is likely to be coming from Northeast directions of Delhi with wind speed 16-20 kmpha, generally cloudy sky and very light rain/thundershowers accompanied with gusty winds (speed 30-40 kmph) on March 23.
It added that the predominant surface wind is likely to be coming from Northwest directions of Delhi with wind speed 10-18 kmph and partly cloudy sky on March 24.
As per the forecast, generally cloudy sky with very light rain/thundershowers accompanied with gusty winds (speed 40-50 kmph) was predicted for today.
The ministry further predicted maximum mixing depth to be approx 4,000 m on March 23 and 3000 m on March 24 over Delhi.
Apart from that, “Maximum ventilation index is likely to be approx 20,000 m2/s on March 22, 11,000 m2/s on March 23 and 17,000 m2/s on March 24,” the statement noted.
However, the ventilation index lower than 60,00 m2/s with average wind speed less than 10 kmph is unfavourable for dispersion of pollutants.
The transported dust concentration has subsided significantly and significant long range transport of dust is not likely for next three days in Delhi-NCR, the ministry added.
-RJV
