New Delhi, Jan 17 : Delhi's air quality saw a significant improvement on Friday morning, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 294, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). However, the national capital and surrounding cities continued to witness dense fog, which caused delays in train services. According to reports, 27 trains originating from various stations in Delhi are running late due to poor visibility caused by foggy conditions. In addition to the improved air quality, Delhi experienced a rise in temperature due to overcast skies and light rainfall. The minimum temperature increased from 6 degrees Celsius to 10.3 degrees Celcius on Thursday, which is three degrees above the normal range.The maximum temperature also rose slightly, from 18.1 degrees Celsius to 19.6 degrees Celcius. This positive change in air quality coincided with the revocation of Stage-IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) on Thursday. A western disturbance, which brought light rainfall, along with strong surface winds from late Wednesday to Thursday morning, played a key role in dispersing pollutants and easing the city's air quality. The improvement was observed as Delhi's AQI dropped from 386 at 4 p.m. on Wednesday to 302 at the same time on Thursday, staying in the "very poor" category. By 8 p.m. on Thursday, it further improved to 288, moving into the poor range.

Rainfall data from the Safdarjung weather station, representative of Delhi's weather, indicated that 3.9 mm of rain had fallen in the 24 hours leading up to 8.30 a.m. on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Palam weather station recorded the highest rainfall at 10.1 mm, followed by 9.7 mm at the Ridge station. Looking ahead, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast another western disturbance starting January 18, which could bring light rainfall to northwest India on January 21. An orange alert has also been issued for dense to very dense fog on Friday and Saturday, further complicating travel conditions in the capital.

/IANS