Mumbai breathes easy as air quality improves to moderate range

According to SAFAR, with an overall air quality index (AQI) of 156, the city on Monday breathed the cleanest air so far this year.

The air quality in Mumbai has improved in the last couple of days due to reversal of wind flow and rise in temperature, an official from the System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) said on Tuesday.

According to SAFAR, with an overall air quality index (AQI) of 156, the city on Monday breathed the cleanest air so far this year.

Earlier this month, Mumbai recorded an AQI of 317, but the conditions improved to 162 on January 16.

The reversal of wind flow and rise in temperature are responsible for the improvement in the city's air quality, the official said.

Mumbai's air quality had remained in the poor to very poor category since the beginning of January because of low temperatures.

"Since the beginning of the year, Mumbai's overall air quality index had become very poor, but it has now moved to a moderate category," the official said, adding that the air quality has improved, as winds blowing from the ocean have cleared pollutants from the air.

According to a forecast on SAFAR's website, the AQI is expected to improve further and remain in moderate range.

"Due to the influence of oceanic air-mass, increase in wind speed and BLH (Boundary Layer Height), Mumbai's AQI is expected to improve, but will remain in the moderate range for the next two days," the official said.

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