Pollution levels in Delhi and NCR are on a rise from the past 24 hours. Since December 20, the pollution in Delhi and its adjoining Noida, Ghaziabad, and Gurugram started increasing by early mooring hours and by afternoon it worsened. While today, it went on to become even severe.
The choking air quality prevailing in Delhi and NCR has been bothering Delhiites on and off since November, reminding of the ‘Great Smog of Delhi’, last year that still has haunting memories in the minds of Delhiites.
The reason for this sudden increase in the pollution levels can be attributed to the approach of the fresh Western Disturbance due to which dry and moderate northwesterly winds have changed their direction and are blowing from south-southwest direction.
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As per Skymet Weather, along with the approach of the Western Disturbance, the speed of winds has also reduced significantly. Earlier, the winds were blowing at a speed of 15-20 kmph occasionally reaching 25 kmph.
But from the last 24 hours, these winds are blowing at a speed of 5-7 kmph and occasionally becoming calm. Due to the change in the wind direction, the humidity levels have also increased. Moreover, the temperatures are also on a lower side.
Thus all these factors, low wind speed, high humidity levels and low temperatures have contributed to the formation of fog. Skymet Weather further reiterates that when fog forms near the earth’s surface, the pollutants available in the atmosphere such as smoke, dust, and other microparticles gets entangled in the condense water vapor available in fog.
This mixture of fog and pollution is termed as smog. Whenever the speed of wind is light, these pollutants remain suspended in lower atmosphere sometime for days which is at present the weather scenario in Delhi and NCR.
However, fortunately, the Western Disturbance is now passing away and the dry northwesterly winds are expected to resume after 24-48 hours. The speed of winds will also increase leading to thinning down of the smog.
Though for the next 24-48 hours, Delhiites will have to tussle with smoggy and foggy mornings.
Image Credit: India Today
Any information taken from here should be credited to skymetweather.com