Delhi's air quality may improve marginally on Saturday

New Delhi, Nov 20: The System for Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) has stated that air quality in Delhi may touch 'very poor' on Friday but may improve marginally on Saturday.

It also attributed the recent deterioration in air quality to a rise in the contribution of stubble fires to the PM 2.5 levels in the national capital.

Government agencies had on Thursday forecast that air quality may deteriorate slightly and may touch the lower end of the "very poor" zone on November 20-21.

"The minimum temperature may fall further over the weekend. However, wind speed is likely to remain high until November 21," said a senior IMD scientist.

"The wind direction is north-westerly and is bringing fumes from stubble fires in neighbouring Haryana and Punjab," the Safar bulletin had stated.

The contribution of stubble-burning to the city's PM 2.5 levels was estimated to be 20 per cent on Thursday, up from 8 per cent the previous day.

Delhi had recorded the lowest minimum temperature of the season on Thursday --- 9.4 degrees Celsius, three notches below normal. It is mainly because of cold winds blowing from the snow-clad Himalayan region. The maximum settled at 25.6 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal.