New Delhi: A day after witnessing slight improvement, the air quality of Delhi dipped again on Tuesday. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital was recorded at 331 as it continued to remain in the ‘Very Poor’ category for the third consecutive day today, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board, the average AQI of Delhi stood at 396 in the morning at 10 am.

The pollution level in the National Capital Region (NCR), especially Noida and Gurugram, also slipped today. Noida reported AQI in the upper end of the ‘Very Poor’ category at 362, while the air quality in Gurugram deteriorated from yesterday’s number and now reached the ‘Very Poor’ category at 322.

As per SAFAR’s bulletin, the AQI in Delhi is “unlikely to improve” today as winds at the transport level are increasing, resulting in more intrusion of farm fires-related pollutants into Delhi.

“Calm local winds also reduce the dispersion of pollutants. So the air quality is expected to remain in the higher end of very poor category today,” the bulletin read.

The effective farm fire count for yesterday was 3125, contributing to 10 per cent of Delhi’s PM2.5.

The agency has predicted an improvement in the air quality on November 17 (tomorrow) as “winds at transport level are forecast to be blowing from east direction and slowing down”.

“On November 18 also, winds are expected to be blowing from the east direction which will prevent intrusion of fire-related pollutants into Delhi. Surface winds are slowing down further on 17th and 18th reducing dispersion,” SAFAR further added.

As per SAFAR’s prediction, the AQI (overall) in the national capital is expected to be in the very poor category range for the next three days.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’.