Rain effect: Air quality in July best in five years
NEW DELHI: Bountiful rains in July gave Delhi its best air quality for the month in five years, while the average maximum temperature also dropped to its lowest level since 2016, according to official data.
The data from the India Meteorological Department and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) also shows that Delhi’s average air quality index (AQI) this year so far is the lowest for the corresponding period since 2019, except for 2020 - the year of the COVID-19 lockdown.
The city recorded 384.6 mm of rainfall in July, which is the second-highest in the month in the last 15 years, compared to the normal of 195.8mm. According to CPCB data, the average AQI of Delhi for the January-July period in 2023 was 182.6, showing a significant improvement compared to 209 in 2022, 204.7 in 2021, 159 in 2020, and 215.3 in 2019.
The average AQI in July was the lowest in five years. The AQI for July 2023 was 83.7. On Saturday, Delhi recorded an average AQI of 59, the lowest so far this year.