Mumbai’s skyline shrouded in smog as air quality deteriorates

SAFAR categorises an AQI between 201 and 300 as “poor,” and anything above 300 falls into the “very poor” category. File pic

Mumbai's skyline has been covered in smog for the past few days due to a meteorological phenomenon known as "air inversion" or temperature inversion. This happens when a layer of cooler air is trapped near the ground by a layer of warm air above the surface, effectively capturing pollutants and creating a smog layer. Experts predict that this smog will persist for another two days.

Despite higher temperatures than usual for this time of year in Mumbai, the city's air quality has significantly deteriorated, with smog settling in many areas. According to SAMEER, a real-time air quality index (AQI) monitoring application of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), several monitoring stations in the city reported poor to very poor AQI on Tuesday. Notably, Chakala - Andheri East AQI monitoring station, established by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), recorded an AQI value of 347 on Tuesday evening, while Mazgaon (also monitored by SAFAR) registered an AQI value of 307. MPCB's AQI monitoring stations in Sion and Bandra Kurla Complex recorded AQI values of 222 and 215, respectively.

SAFAR categorises an AQI between 201 and 300 as "poor," and anything above 300 falls into the "very poor" category. Climatologist Rajesh Kapadia from "Vagaries of Weather," a private weather blog, explained the phenomenon, said, "As pollutants from vehicles, fireplaces, and industry are emitted into the air, the inversion traps these pollutants near the ground, resulting in poor air quality."

Kapadia further noted that this phenomenon is unusual for this time of year, typically observed during the winter months of November or December when Mumbai's temperature drops below 25 degrees Celsius. However, the current temperature has not approached that level. In two days' time, the wind direction is expected to change to northerly, which should disperse the accumulated smog and pollutants causing the current smog cover by October 19 and beyond. An official from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) stated, "This issue arises from a combination of factors, including emissions from vehicles, industrial pollution, etc."