New Delhi, Sep 21 (IANS) Delhi-NCR is likely to experience predominantly dry weather on Monday, with no significant rainfall expected in Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad and Faridabad, according to the latest forecast issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Delhi is likely to witness mainly clear skies, while several parts of the National Capital Region (NCR) may see partly cloudy conditions during the day. Temperatures are expected to remain relatively high, with maximum temperatures likely to hover around 35-36 degrees Celsius across the region.

The weather outlook indicates no major spell of rainfall in the five cities as the southwest monsoon continues its withdrawal from parts of northwest India. The region is consequently expected to remain largely dry over the coming days.

In Delhi, no rainfall has been forecast for September 21. The Safdarjung observatory is likely to record a minimum temperature of around 25 degrees Celsius and a maximum of nearly 35 degrees Celsius, with predominantly clear skies.

Noida is also expected to remain dry, although partly cloudy conditions could prevail during the day. Temperatures are likely to range between 27 and 36 degrees Celsius. The IMD has issued no weather warning for the city, while the outlook for September 22 is expected to be mainly clear.

Gurugram is likely to experience partly cloudy skies on Monday, with temperatures expected to remain between approximately 24 and 36 degrees Celsius. No weather warning has been issued for the city, and the forecast does not suggest any significant rainfall.

Ghaziabad is also likely to remain partly cloudy, with the minimum temperature expected to be around 27 degrees Celsius and the maximum touching nearly 36 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, the deteriorating weather conditions have also begun to reflect in Delhi’s air quality. The Capital recorded its highest average Air Quality Index (AQI) in 62 days on Sunday, with a combination of stagnant winds, absence of rainfall and local emissions contributing to the rise in pollution levels.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) 4 p.m. bulletin, Delhi’s average AQI stood at 160, placing it in the higher end of the ‘moderate’ category. The pollution level increased further during the night, reaching 165 at 10 p.m.

The reading was the highest recorded in the Capital since July 19, when Delhi’s AQI stood at 171, also in the ‘moderate’ category.

Delhi’s AQI had stood at 88 on Friday and 118 on Saturday before rising sharply to 160 on Sunday. PM2.5 and ozone were identified as the dominant pollutants contributing to the deterioration.

Of the 45 active monitoring stations across Delhi, six reported ‘poor’ air quality. These included IGI Airport (264), IIT Delhi (202), Chandni Chowk (227), Okhla Phase-2 (219), Patparganj (209) and Sirifort (210).

Another 38 monitoring stations recorded AQI levels between 101 and 200, falling in the ‘moderate’ range, while Delhi Cantonment was the only station to report ‘satisfactory’ air quality, with an AQI of 81.

Delhi had experienced comparatively cleaner air during the previous month, largely due to monsoon rainfall and stronger winds that helped disperse pollutants. During September, the Capital recorded 12 days of ‘satisfactory’ air quality and eight days in the ‘moderate’ category, with Sunday witnessing the highest pollutant levels of the month so far.

–IANS

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