Delhi-NCR mornings see AQI above 200 due to overnight weather
India
Ever wondered why Delhi-NCR's air feels extra heavy in the mornings?
Lately, AQI readings have been shooting past 200 in the early morning hours: just this week, they hit 210 to 215.
Turns out, pollution quietly builds up overnight thanks to some tricky weather patterns.
Cool nights, low winds trap pollution
It mostly comes down to cool nights and barely-there winds.
When it gets chilly, a layer of warmer air traps all the pollution close to the ground, think of car fumes and waste burning, with nowhere for it to go.
Since wind speeds stay low (under 10km/h), nothing really clears out until sunlight stirs things up later.
But since emissions keep coming all day, these pollution cycles are tough to break without bigger changes.