Delhi's air quality is back in 'poor' category

New Delhi, Oct 23 (PTI) Delhi's air quality showed a marginal improvement on Monday and was recorded in the "poor" category, while the city registered a maximum temperature of 31.5 degrees Celsius, normal for this time of the year.

The capital's 24-hour average air quality index stood at 313 on Sunday, deteriorating from 248 on Saturday.

Delhi last recorded "very poor" air quality on May 17 when the AQI was 336.

On Monday, the 24-hour average air quality index stood at 263 while the city's minimum temperature was recorded at 17.2 degrees Celsius, normal for this time of the year, the weather office here said.

The humidity levels oscillated between 44 per cent and 94 per cent.

An AQI in the range of 0-50 is considered ''good'', 51-100 ''satisfactory'', 101-200 ''moderate'', 201-300 ''poor'', 301-400 ''very poor'' and 401-500 ''severe''. An AQI above 500 falls in the ''severe plus'' category.

According to the forecast, the air quality is likely to be in the "very poor" category on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The air quality on October 26 is likely to be in the lower end of "very poor" category.

The weather office has forecast mainly clear sky for Tuesday with the possibility of mist in the morning.

The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to settle at 32 degrees Celsius and 17 degrees Celsius, respectively. PTI SLB CK