Overview
- After an unusually strong January rain and sustained winds pushed the AQI into the ‘moderate’ range over the weekend, Delhi recorded 241 on Monday, back in the ‘poor’ category, according to CPCB data.
- Saturday’s improvement marked the first ‘moderate’ day since October 13, 2025, with the 24-hour AQI dropping near 100 points from the previous day and touching readings as low as 163 by late evening.
- Temperatures plunged on Monday, with Ayanagar at 3.6°C and Safdarjung at 4.2°C, producing isolated cold-wave conditions and the coldest Republic Day since 2021.
- IMD issued a yellow alert for Tuesday, forecasting one to two spells of light rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds of 30–40 km/h that could briefly check pollution levels.
- The Air Quality Early Warning System and IITM expect AQI to improve to ‘moderate’ on January 27–28 before turning ‘poor’ again from January 29, with further short-term fluctuations likely.