New Delhi, Feb 6 (IANS) Air quality in the national capital showed marginal improvement on Friday morning, though pollution levels continued to remain a concern. According to data released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 226 at 8 a.m., placing it in the ‘poor’ category.

This marked a slight improvement from Thursday’s AQI reading of 241.

Despite the minor dip in pollution levels, several parts of the city continued to experience poor air quality, with a thin blanket of fog covering many areas during the early morning hours. Visibility was reduced in several localities, adding to commuting challenges for residents.

CPCB monitoring stations reported varying AQI levels across different regions of the national capital. Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 261, while Bawana stood at 266. Jahangirpuri reported 278, and Pusa emerged as one of the most polluted areas with an AQI of 290. Other areas such as Wazirpur (265), Okhla Phase-2 (262), Sonia Vihar (262), R.K. Puram (271), and Chandni Chowk (240) also remained in the ‘poor’ category. Relatively better air quality was observed at IGI Airport Terminal 3, which recorded an AQI of 148, and Lodhi Road, where the index stood at 156.

Neighbouring areas of Noida also witnessed elevated pollution levels. Noida Sector-125 reported an AQI of 243, while Sector-1 recorded 228. Sector-62 showed comparatively lower pollution at 168, and Sector-116 stood at 207.

Shallow fog was noticed across many parts of Delhi, affecting early morning visibility. The weather department forecast a maximum temperature of around 23 degrees Celsius for the day, with humidity levels hovering near 55 per cent. Although no official weather warning has been issued, foggy conditions are expected to persist in the morning hours.

Looking ahead, February 7 is likely to see a slight rise in daytime temperatures, with the maximum expected to reach 24 degrees Celsius and the minimum around 11 degrees Celsius. Shallow fog is predicted to continue. On February 8, temperatures may dip again, ranging between 10 and 23 degrees Celsius, accompanied by moderate fog.

From February 9 onward, fog conditions are expected to intensify. The minimum temperature could fall to 9 degrees Celsius, with moderate fog forecast. February 10 and 11 are also likely to remain foggy, with minimum temperatures between 11 and 12 degrees Celsius and maximum temperatures gradually increasing to 25 degrees Celsius. No weather alerts have been issued for this period.

Meanwhile, fresh snowfall in the mountainous regions is expected to contribute to dense fog formation across the northern plains. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has cautioned that dense fog may occur during morning and night hours in parts of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. Dry weather is likely to prevail across most other parts of the country, with no rainfall expected across the plains from Punjab to southern India.

–IANS

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