Delhi experienced strong winds on Tuesday, leading to raised dust levels and worsened air quality in the city. The India Meteorological Department reported reduced visibility of around 1,000 meters in the national capital. Meteorologists attribute the dusty conditions to a combination of intense heat in northwest India over the past five days, lack of rainfall resulting in dry soil, and persistent strong winds since midnight, according to news agency PTI.
During the early hours, wind speeds reached 30-35 km/h, but the IMD’s Head of Regional Forecasting, Kuldeep Srivastava, stated that the wind speed would decrease during the day, allowing the dust to settle. VK Soni, Head of the IMD’s Environment Monitoring and Research Centre, mentioned a significant rise in dust concentration, with PM10 levels increasing from 140 micrograms per cubic meter at 4 am to 775 micrograms per cubic meter at 8 am. Soni attributed the high dust concentration to the strong gusty winds prevailing in the area but reassured that the dust would settle soon.
The IMD forecasted a partly cloudy sky and the possibility of very light rain in the evening, which might offer some relief. However, PM10 levels remain alarmingly high at most stations, particularly India Gate, Patparganj, and Pusa, indicating poor air quality. Experts point to a cyclonic circulation over Rajasthan as the cause of the dust in Delhi, resulting in dust storms and light rain. The impact of this weather system is expected to continue affecting Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, and parts of Punjab in phases over the next three to four days, as reported by India Today.
Over the past four days, Delhi has endured temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, intensifying the already hot weather conditions. Forecasts indicate a further temperature rise, with expectations of reaching 44 degrees Celsius by the upcoming Sunday.