Delhi recorded its fifth consecutive day in the “very poor” air quality category on November 18, 2025, with the citywide AQI at 344 as of 8 a.m., slightly better than Monday’s 351 but still hazardous for prolonged exposure. Several stations, including Bawana (419), Jahangirpuri (414), and Wazirpur (410), slipped into the “severe” zone, while a thick smog layer reduced visibility in the early hours. The Early Warning System forecasts the AQI to remain “very poor” at least until November 20, with no significant improvement expected before Thursday.

The overnight temperature fell to 9.6°C, three degrees below normal and the second-coldest November night this season after Monday’s 8.7°C. Clear skies and northwesterly winds triggered rapid radiational cooling, but forecasters ruled out a cold wave, predicting minima to hover between 9 and 11°C until Thursday. Easterly winds are likely to return by November 21, pushing temperatures slightly higher.

Stage 3 restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan, in force since November 11, continue to ban non-essential construction, older diesel vehicles, and most brick kilns across Delhi-NCR. Stubble burning’s share in Delhi’s PM2.5 dropped from 16.5% on Saturday to 12.8% on Sunday, aided by stronger winds and stricter enforcement in Punjab and Haryana.

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Health advisories remain in place, urging children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions to limit outdoor activity and use N95 masks. Hospitals have reported a spike in asthma and bronchitis cases since the AQI crossed 400 last week.

With no western disturbance forecast until the end of November, Delhiites face at least another week of smog and biting cold mornings. Long-term measures—electric vehicle incentives, crop-residue management, and stricter industrial emission norms—are again under discussion as the capital endures its annual winter pollution crisis.

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