Archive · 5 Oct 2026
Delhi AQI Reaches 83-Day High, Near Upper Moderate Range
Delhi’s air quality got worse and reached an AQI of 187.
That is still called “Moderate,” but it was the city’s highest reading in 83 days.
The main pollutant reported in Delhi was PM10.
Some nearby cities, including Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad, had “Poor” air quality.
The weather was dry and warm, with no rain in the previous 24 hours.
Forecasters said rain and thunderstorms might bring temporary relief on Tuesday.
Even with this recent increase, officials said Delhi’s average air quality for September 2026 was better than in the same month of the previous five years.
They also reported fewer “Poor to Severe+” air-quality days from January through September than in each of the previous four years.
Delhi recorded an AQI of 187, its highest reading in 83 days, remaining in the ‘Moderate’ category.
PM10 was the prominent pollutant across Delhi, based on readings from 43 of 46 active monitoring stations.
Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad were in the ‘Poor’ category, with AQIs of 281, 248 and 224.
Delhi’s maximum temperature was 36.4°C, and the city received no rain in the preceding 24 hours.
Despite the recent rise, Delhi’s September 2026 average AQI and January–September pollution-day measures were reported as five-year lows.
- Who
- Delhi and cities in the National Capital Region.
- What
- Delhi’s AQI rose to 187, while several nearby cities recorded ‘Poor’ air quality.
- When
- In the CPCB’s 24-hour bulletin; the reading was an 83-day high. The article also reports September 2026 and January–September 2026 figures.
- Where
- Delhi and the National Capital Region, India.
- Why
- The article reports the air-quality measurements and identifies PM10 as Delhi’s prominent pollutant; it does not establish a specific cause for the rise.
- Delhi AQI
- 187, the highest in 83 days; categorized as ‘Moderate’.
- Prominent Delhi pollutant
- PM10, based on readings from 43 of 46 active monitoring stations.
- NCR ‘Poor’ readings
- Noida: 281; Ghaziabad: 248; Faridabad: 224.
- Other NCR readings
- Gurugram: 166; Greater Noida: 171, both ‘Moderate’.
- Delhi weather
- Maximum 36.4°C; minimum 23.8°C; relative humidity 51%; no rain in the previous 24 hours.
- September 2026 average AQI
- 102, compared with 105 in 2025, 105 in 2024, 108 in 2023 and 104 in 2022.
- January–September 2026 air-quality days
- 194 days with daily average AQI below 200 and 79 ‘Poor to Severe+’ days.