📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Kamran Syed
Weather
Delhi’s PM10 spikes to 428 µg/m³ at 9 pm, night-time wind slowdown worsens air quality
✍️ Amar Ujala · Delhi
🗓 21 Oct 2026, 05:01 AM
👁 9
Data from CPCB’s Alipur station show PM10 reaching 428 µg/m³ around 9 pm on Oct 16‑20, as reduced wind speed slowed pollutant dispersion.
The Central Pollution Control Board’s Alipur monitoring centre recorded a sharp rise in particulate matter (PM10) levels at around 9 pm, with the concentration hitting 428 µg per cubic metre. The spike was observed consistently over the five‑day period from 16 to 20 October.
Night‑time readings showed marked fluctuations, but the peak value of 428 µg/m³ stood out as the highest recorded during the monitoring window. Analysts attribute the surge to a sudden drop in wind speed, which reduced the natural dispersion of airborne particles.
Such a concentration far exceeds the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for PM10, which caps the permissible limit at 100 µg/m³ for a 24‑hour average. Levels above this threshold are known to aggravate respiratory conditions and pose health risks to the general public.
CPCB officials continue to track the trend and advise residents to limit outdoor activities during periods of poor air quality, especially in the evening when wind remains sluggish.
Night‑time readings showed marked fluctuations, but the peak value of 428 µg/m³ stood out as the highest recorded during the monitoring window. Analysts attribute the surge to a sudden drop in wind speed, which reduced the natural dispersion of airborne particles.
Such a concentration far exceeds the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for PM10, which caps the permissible limit at 100 µg/m³ for a 24‑hour average. Levels above this threshold are known to aggravate respiratory conditions and pose health risks to the general public.
CPCB officials continue to track the trend and advise residents to limit outdoor activities during periods of poor air quality, especially in the evening when wind remains sluggish.