Delhi AQI Today: What's the air quality in Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad on November 15? Will it get better next week?

Delhi-NCR residents continue to face poor air quality as pollution levels remain high across the region on Sunday, November 15. A thick layer of smog and fog has added to concerns, with several monitoring stations in the national capital recording readings in the very poor and severe categories. There may be some relief from changing weather conditions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast the possibility of very light rain or drizzle in isolated parts of Delhi on Sunday. However, the showers may not be enough to bring a lasting improvement in air quality.

Delhi-NCR AQI today: City-wise air quality on November 15

According to CPCB data, pollution levels remained elevated across Delhi and neighbouring cities on Sunday morning. Several locations continued to record dangerous levels of particulate pollution. Here is the city-wise AQI snapshot:

City	AQI on November 15	Air quality category
Delhi (Anand Vihar)	365	Very Poor
Noida	313	Very Poor
Gurugram (Gurgaon)	324	Very Poor
Ghaziabad	294	Poor
Greater Noida	283	Poor
Faridabad	311	Very Poor

The situation was worse at several individual monitoring stations in Delhi. IIT Delhi recorded an AQI of 425, while ITO reported 415. Commonwealth Sports Complex registered 403, and both Delhi University's North Campus and Pusa recorded 402. These readings put the locations in the severe category.

Why is Delhi's air quality so poor?

The winter pollution season has once again brought Delhi-NCR under a thick blanket of smog. A combination of local emissions, vehicle exhaust, construction dust, industrial pollution and seasonal agricultural burning contributes to the problem.

Weather conditions also play an important role. When wind speeds remain low, pollutants cannot disperse effectively. They accumulate closer to the ground, making the air increasingly difficult to breathe.

The IITM's Delhi air-quality assessment for November 11 estimated that transport contributed 20.2% of PM2.5 pollution. It also identified contributions from areas outside Delhi, including Jhajjar and other neighbouring regions.

Will rain improve Delhi-NCR's AQI?

There is a possibility of some weather-related relief on Sunday. The IMD has forecast very light rain or drizzle at isolated places in Delhi during the morning to forenoon hours on November 15. The weather department has also predicted generally cloudy skies, mist and shallow fog across the capital. However, residents should not expect a dramatic improvement from these showers.

Rain can bring suspended dust and pollutants down to the ground. But the extent of improvement depends on rainfall intensity, duration and accompanying wind speeds. With only isolated light showers expected, any improvement could be limited and temporary.

Delhi weather forecast for next week: Will pollution decrease?

The IMD's latest forecast for November 16 and 17 indicates mainly clear skies, with mist or shallow fog during morning hours. On November 16, surface winds could reach around 15 kmph during the afternoon. Similar wind speeds are expected during parts of November 17.

These winds could help disperse some pollutants. However, calm conditions during morning and evening hours may continue to create favourable conditions for pollution accumulation For now, Delhi-NCR residents should prepare for continued poor air quality, even if some areas see temporary relief.