After four months of very bad air quality, the unseasonal rainfall has improved Mumbai's air and the Air Quality Index (AQI) has been around the satisfactory level (below 100) during most days for a month now. During the winter, the period from November 2022 to March first week this year, was probably the worst air quality in the last five years for Mumbai, along with the AQI being higher than Delhi's on most days.
AQI of Mumbai at 93 on Sunday
According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the widespread showers and a high speed of the winds during the rainfall period has resulted in clean and fresh air compared to the previous four months. The AQI of Mumbai on Sunday was 93, putting it in the ‘satisfactory’ category.
An AQI between 0 and 50 is ‘good’, 51 and 100 is ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 is considered 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.
Vehicular emissions and construction activities behind poor air quality
The main contributors of air pollution in the city have been vehicular emissions and widespread construction projects throughout the city. “The unseasonal rains have cleared the skies temporarily by natural means but the main concern still remains the deteriorating air quality during no rainfall days. Mumbai being a coastal city should not be ideally experiencing very poor quality air due to the sea on three sides which bring in the winds constantly,” said a SAFAR official.
Meanwhile, the IMD has indicated clear skies on Monday however there is a possibility of cloudy skies with the likely light rainfall on Tuesday and Wednesday. The unseasonal rainfall experienced by the city so far has been the result of the interactions of the westerly and easterly winds.
On Sunday, Santacruz witnessed a minimum temperature of 25.8 degrees Celsius and a maximum of 34.1 degrees Celsius, with 73% relative humidity. Colaba experienced a minimum temperature of 26.0 degrees Celsius and a maximum of 32.2 degrees Celsius, with 82% relative humidity.
