Chennai Air Quality Improves With Faster Winds, AQI Drops Below 200
Chennai recorded a visible improvement in air quality on Saturday as stronger northeasterly winds and light drizzles helped disperse accumulated pollutants, pushing Air Quality Index levels from the ‘poor’ to the ‘moderate’ category across several parts of the city. Monitoring stations in interior localities such as Kodungaiyur, Perungudi and Arumbakkam showed AQI readings below 200, a sharp improvement from last week when pollution levels had crossed the poor threshold.
Data from the Central Pollution Control Board indicated that Kodungaiyur’s AQI fell to 178 from 268 recorded on December 20, while Perungudi and Arumbakkam dropped to 112 and 142, respectively, from over 200 a week ago. Similar trends were observed during evening hours, suggesting sustained dispersion rather than a temporary dip.Weather experts attributed the improvement primarily to a significant increase in wind speeds. Northeasterly winds, which had slowed to nearly 3 kmph earlier last week, strengthened to around 20 kmph on Saturday, aiding the dilution and movement of fine particulate matter across the region. PM2.5 remained the dominant pollutant at most stations, largely originating from vehicular emissions, waste burning, construction activity, household cooking and secondary atmospheric reactions.
Forecasters said weather conditions are likely to remain favourable in the coming days. Light to moderate rainfall is expected between December 29 and 31 across Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu, driven by strengthening northeasterlies bringing increased moisture. Meteorologists said this could further suppress pollution levels, although brief early-morning mist or haze may still occur in some areas.Despite the improvement, experts cautioned that ‘moderate’ air quality is not entirely safe. Prolonged exposure may still cause breathing discomfort, particularly for individuals with asthma, lung ailments or heart conditions. On Saturday, stations in Manali, Manali Village and Velachery continued to remain in the moderate category, while Royapuram recorded a ‘satisfactory’ AQI of 63, which can still cause minor discomfort among sensitive groups.
Temperatures in the city are expected to remain stable, with maximums hovering between 29 and 30 degrees Celsius and minimums around 20 to 21 degrees Celsius, supported by partly cloudy skies.
