Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
A western disturbance and changing wind patterns are influencing the movement of stubble-burning smoke across North India, keeping much of the pollution from Punjab temporarily away from Delhi-NCR even as air quality in the national capital region continues to deteriorate.
Delhi-NCR saw a sharp spike in pollution overnight, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) climbing toward the 500 mark at several monitoring stations. However, the situation in parts of Punjab is considerably worse, with AQI readings ranging between 700 and 1,500 at several sensors across south and central Punjab.
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According to weather observations, a trough over Punjab is helping trap smoke from agricultural fires within the state. Mild easterly winds are also preventing the smoke from travelling towards Haryana and Delhi-NCR, keeping the pollution plume largely confined to Punjab.
This has created a contrasting pollution situation across the region, with several locations in Punjab recording significantly higher pollution levels than Delhi.
However, meteorological conditions could change, potentially worsening air quality across Punjab, Haryana and Delhi-NCR during the early morning hours.
The weather system influencing North India is also linked to an approaching western disturbance.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said a fresh western disturbance is likely to affect the northwestern Himalayan region from the night of November 10.
An upper-air cyclonic circulation currently lies over northwest Rajasthan and its neighbourhood in the lower tropospheric levels.
The western disturbance is expected to bring scattered to fairly widespread rainfall and snowfall over the Western Himalayan Region. Isolated heavy rainfall or snowfall is likely over the Kashmir Valley on November 12 and 13.
Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh are likely to receive isolated to scattered rainfall during November 10-11 and again between November 14 and 15. Himachal Pradesh may experience rainfall between November 10 and 15, while Uttarakhand is likely to receive precipitation on November 12 and 13.
Punjab could also witness isolated to scattered rainfall between November 12 and 15.
The changing weather pattern will be crucial in determining how pollution moves across the Indo-Gangetic plains.
While the current wind pattern is preventing a significant influx of Punjab’s farm fire smoke into Delhi-NCR, the region remains vulnerable to worsening air quality as calm winds and atmospheric conditions favour the accumulation of pollutants.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
