New Delhi [India]: Strong surface winds caused by a high-pressure gradient over northwest India have led to widespread dust dispersion across Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and northern Rajasthan, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported on Thursday.
According to the IMD, these winds carried dust from West Rajasthan to Delhi-NCR, passing through north Rajasthan, south Punjab, and south Haryana.
“In Northwest India, we are not expecting any western disturbances… so the majority regions are likely to experience dry weather… heatwave is expected for the next 5 days in West Rajasthan, we have issued a yellow alert there. We are expecting a heatwave in East Uttar Pradesh for a few days, we have issued an orange alert… in Delhi-NCR, the temperature will be above normal and on 16- 17th May, there is a possibility of light rain and strong winds,” said the IMD.
The IMD’s Jaipur Centre had already forecast a dust storm over Rajasthan on May 14, as per its earlier bulletin.
In addition, the IMD noted that dust from North Pakistan is being transported towards Delhi-NCR via Punjab and Haryana, driven by strong lower-level westerly winds.
The dust movement is now shifting gradually eastward, improving visibility across parts of Delhi. At Palam, visibility improved to 4000 meters, the IMD reported. However, it added that visibility above 1000 meters is not considered a significant dust storm or event.
Meanwhile, Delhi continues to experience intense heat, with temperatures hovering in the upper 30s Celsius, and pollution levels rising. On Thursday, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 350 in Punjabi Bagh, categorizing it as “very poor.”
Elsewhere in the city:
- Anand Vihar: AQI 283
- Ashok Vihar: AQI 331
- RK Puram: AQI 307
- Bawana: AQI 298
According to CPCB standards:
- AQI 0–50: Good
- AQI 51–100: Satisfactory
- AQI 101–200: Moderate
- AQI 201–300: Poor
- AQI 301–400: Very Poor
- AQI 401–500: Severe
In terms of visibility, IGI Airport in Delhi reported the lowest visibility at 1200 meters intermittently during the dust event.