Delhi Prepares for Cloud Seeding Amidst Polluted Skies

Strategic Insights -

Delhi's air quality remained in the "very poor" category on Monday, with localities like Bawana and Anand Vihar recording severe air quality. The city is expected to receive light rain on Monday and Tuesday, ahead of the cloud seeding activity planned for Wednesday, October 29. Delhi's minimum temperature was 17.3 degrees Celsius, 0.1 degrees above the season's average. Cloud seeding, a weather modification technique, aims to introduce tiny ice nuclei into certain types of subfreezing clouds to improve their ability to produce rain or snow.

Key Takeaways:

  • Delhi's air quality remained in the "very poor" category on Monday, with localities like Bawana and Anand Vihar recording severe air quality.
  • Cloud seeding activity is planned for Wednesday, October 29, despite limited moisture in the air, with seeding often requiring up to 50% moisture.
  • Delhi's minimum temperature was 17.3 degrees Celsius, 0.1 degrees above the season's average.
  • 23 out of 38 monitoring stations across the city reported very poor air quality with readings above 300 on Monday morning.
  • Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta announced on Thursday that the city was ready to carry out cloud seeding on October 29.
  • A test run was held over Burari on Thursday, and an aircraft was used to test the capabilities of the plane for cloud seeding and assess preparedness.
  • The government had said more moisture will be available during this western disturbance spell, which is expected to occur later.
  • Delhi's air quality had marginally improved to the poor category on Sunday, with the minimum temperature settling at 15.8 degrees Celsius, the lowest recorded in October in the last two years.

Statistics:

  • Delhi's minimum temperature was 17.3 degrees Celsius, 0.1 degrees above the season's average.
  • 23 out of 38 monitoring stations across the city reported very poor air quality with readings above 300 on Monday morning.
  • Localities like Bawana and Anand Vihar recorded severe air quality with Air Quality Index (AQI) readings of 401 and 431, respectively.
  • The government had said more moisture will be available during this western disturbance spell.
  • Delhi's air quality had marginally improved to the poor category on Sunday, with the minimum temperature settling at 15.8 degrees Celsius.
  • The minimum temperature dipped to 15.9 degrees Celsius in October 2023.

Sources:

  • India Meteorological Department (IMD)
  • Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) Sameer app
  • PTI news agency report
  • Hindustan Times (HT) report
  • Government official (quoted in HT report)