Delhi’s air quality has improved, with the city recording an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 85 on Saturday—the lowest for the period from January 1 to March 15 in the last three years. According to the Commission for Air Quality Management, the AQI now falls within the ‘Satisfactory’ category, which ranges between 51 and 100.
“This is the first day of the year that Delhi has registered an AQI within the ‘satisfactory’ range, and it is also the first time in five years that Delhi has experienced such air quality in March,” the Commission shared on X.
The improvement in air quality coincides with the retreat of the winter chill, giving way to warmer temperatures and shifting weather patterns across the country.
Heatwave conditions in Karnataka
In Karnataka, rising temperatures have led to heatwave warnings. Ainapur Hobli village in Kalaburagi district recorded the highest temperature in the last 24 hours at a scorching 42.8°C. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heatwave alert for the region, predicting that maximum temperatures could rise by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius between March 15 and 17.
Isolated heatwave conditions are expected in districts of north Interior Karnataka, including Kalaburagi, Bidar, Bagalkote, Raichur, Yadgir, and Vijayapura, from March 18 to 19. Meanwhile, southern Interior Karnataka is likely to experience a gradual rise in temperatures by 2-3°C over the next few days.
On Friday evening, Delhi-NCR witnessed a sudden weather change. Dark skies and light rainfall were reported in parts of the national capital, particularly in South Delhi. The IMD has forecast partly cloudy skies with the possibility of isolated light rain over the plains of Northwest India in the coming days.