Delhi’s AQI Nears Severe Category Amid Sharp Drop in Wind Speed

Delhi’s air quality plunged deeper into the ‘very poor’ zone on Wednesday morning, November 19, 2025, with the 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) touching 391 at 8 a.m., just nine points shy of the ‘severe’ threshold. The sharp overnight deterioration from Tuesday’s 4 p.m. reading of 374 was visible across the capital as a dense grey haze swallowed landmarks and reduced visibility on major roads. Residents reported stinging eyes and a persistent smell of smoke, while morning walkers and schoolchildren were forced to cut short outdoor activities.

Meteorologists attributed the worsening conditions to a dramatic fall in wind speed. After Monday’s brief relief when winds touched 12 km/hr, speeds dropped below 5 km/hr on Tuesday and remained sluggish through the night, trapping pollutants close to the ground. Calm conditions allowed local emissions from vehicles, industries, and construction dust to mix with residual moisture and form a thick smog layer that stretched across the entire Indo-Gangetic Plain.

Although the contribution of stubble burning from Punjab and Haryana has marginally decreased due to a shift to northeasterly winds, the absence of dispersion has offset any gains. The Centre’s Early Warning System for Delhi forecasts that air quality will remain in the ‘very poor’ category until at least November 21, with little improvement expected over the following week unless wind speed picks up significantly.

Also Read: Delhi Air Quality Nears ‘Severe’; 24 of 39 Stations Record AQI Above 400

Stage-3 restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), activated on November 11, continue to remain in force. Non-essential construction and demolition work is banned, the entry of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel private four-wheelers is prohibited, and authorities have intensified checks on polluting vehicles. Should the AQI cross 400 today, Wednesday will mark the capital’s fourth ‘severe’ air day this winter, potentially triggering Stage-4 measures such as closure of schools and a complete halt on non-essential construction.

The cold weather is adding to the crisis. Safdarjung Observatory recorded a minimum temperature of 10.2°C on Tuesday—two degrees below normal—with the mercury expected to stay between 9°C and 11°C until Thursday. Lower temperatures are causing inversion layers that act like a lid, preventing pollutants from rising and dispersing.

Health experts have urged citizens, especially children, the elderly, and those with respiratory or cardiac conditions, to avoid outdoor exposure, use N95 masks if stepping out is unavoidable, and keep indoor air purifiers running. Hospitals across Delhi-NCR have already reported a spike in emergency visits for breathing difficulties over the past 48 hours, signalling the beginning of the seasonal public-health challenge that grips the capital every winter.

Also Read: Delhi’s Air Quality Dips To ‘Very Poor’ on Diwali Morning as Firecracker Smoke Engulfs City