Delhi experienced its cleanest air quality of the year on Friday, following a period of record rainfall in September. The national capital recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 52, approaching the "good" category.
In the surrounding areas, Faridabad reported an AQI of 24, Ghaziabad and Noida had AQIs of 34 and 46 respectively, all within the "good" range. Gurugram recorded an AQI of 69, while Bulandshahr, Meerut, and Muzaffarnagar posted AQIs of 21, 28, and 29.
The significant improvement in air quality is attributed to a combination of depression activity and an active monsoon trough, which led to substantial rainfall across the Delhi NCR region. The rain effectively washed away pollutants, and wind speeds of 30-40 kmph helped disperse any remaining contaminants. Delhi also surpassed its annual and seasonal average rainfall early in September, with total rainfall exceeding 1,000 mm.