AQI: What is the IMD forecast for Delhi as GRAP III is imposed as a Diwali precautionary measure?
The IMD has forecast clear skies with shallow fog for Delhi, predicting temperatures between 15°C and 30°C with no immediate weather warnings
Delhi's air quality worsened into the very poor and severe categories with an overall AQI of 364 on Saturday, prompting the enforcement of GRAP Stage III restrictions. While the IMD has predicted clear skies and shallow fog for the day, authorities warn that pollution levels will likely remain severe through the weekend due to unfavorable meteorological conditions and upcoming celebrations.
Delhi's air quality worsened into the very poor and severe categories with an overall AQI of 364 on Saturday, prompting the enforcement of GRAP Stage III restrictions. While the IMD has predicted clear skies and shallow fog for the day, authorities warn that pollution levels will likely remain severe through the weekend due to unfavorable meteorological conditions and upcoming celebrations.
Delhi's air quality worsened into the very poor and severe categories with an overall AQI of 364 on Saturday, prompting the enforcement of GRAP Stage III restrictions. While the IMD has predicted clear skies and shallow fog for the day, authorities warn that pollution levels will likely remain severe through the weekend due to unfavorable meteorological conditions and upcoming celebrations.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts mainly clear skies in Delhi on Saturday. The weather department has predicted shallow fog or mist in the morning and temperatures between 15°C and 30°C.
No weather warnings have been issued for Delhi for the next seven days, as confirmed by the IMD's Chandigarh Met Centre subdivision-wise warning bulletin. Meanwhile, GRAP III kicked into action on Friday as a precautionary measure—four days after the second stage of the graded pollution action plan was imposed.
The latest Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data confirmed that the national capital's overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 364 at 8 am on Saturday. With the Diwali celebrations kicking off, the air quality is expected to worsen over the weekend.
IIT Delhi logged an AQI of 443, Punjabi Bagh recorded 433, and Narela stood at 409, all in the 'severe' category. Cantonment Area recorded 315, Dhaula Kuan stood at 318, while Anand Vihar registered 272, Deccan Chronicle said in a report. Several monitoring stations recorded 'severe' pollution levels (401–500), the report said.
The CPCB daily AQI bulletin released on Friday evening (recorded at 4 pm) claimed the city's AQI to be at 382 (Very Poor category). Meanwhile, the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, operated by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), had warned that the AQI will further deteriorate to the 'Severe' category on Saturday, November 7, and will remain so until Monday, November 9. "The air quality is likely to be in the Severe category from 07.11.2026 to 09.11.2026. The outlook for the subsequent 6 Days: The air quality is likely to be in the Severe to Very Poor category," the forecast read.
According to the CPCB, an AQI between zero and 50 is classified as 'good', 51 and 100 as 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 as 'moderate', 201 and 300 as 'poor', 301 and 400 as 'very poor', and 401 and 500 as 'severe'.
Delhi's Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage III imposes restrictions on older, more polluting vehicles. Pollution-causing construction and demolition activities, including road construction and major road repairs, drilling, piling, and excavation, are prohibited in the entire National Capital Region (NCR), while hybrid classes are recommended for junior classes.