Delhi's air quality gets a small break, but not for long

India Dec 10, 2025

Delhi finally caught a bit of a breather on Tuesday as the air quality index (AQI) slipped from "very poor" to just "poor"—a rare improvement lately.
The AQI hit 282 on December 9, down from 314 the day before, marking only the fourth time since November that things have looked this "good."
Still, it's not exactly fresh air.

Here's what to expect next

Don't get too comfortable—experts say this "poor" air is sticking around until December 10 before it likely drops back to "very poor," and could even hit "severe" by December 13.
Shifts in wind, temperature (which just got a little warmer thanks to a western disturbance), are all playing their part.
So if you're heading out, maybe keep those masks handy for now.