Delhi's AQI drops to 88 after weeks of pollution spike

India Oct 03, 2025

Delhi just got a breath of fresh air! After weeks of moderate or worse pollution—and the usual Dussehra spike—the city's Air Quality Index (AQI) dropped to a much healthier 88 this Friday.
Instead of the usual post-festival smog, residents woke up to cleaner skies, thanks mostly to a combination of rainfall and steady winds.

Rain, breeze sweep away pollutants

Rain and breezy winds around 15km/h helped sweep away pollutants before they could build up.
Mahesh Palawat from Skymet pointed out that these pre-winter conditions made all the difference this year.
For context: back in 2020, Delhi's AQI shot up to a "very poor" 353 right after Dussehra.
Looking ahead, the weather department says more rain is likely from October 4-8, which could keep things clear for a bit longer.