The national capital’s air quality is likely to turn ‘poor’ by Friday, a government forecasting agency said, PTI reported. On Wednesday morning, Delhi’s air quality was recorded in the ‘moderate’ category.

The city recorded an air quality index (AQI) of 160 at 10:30 am, which falls in the moderate category. The 24-hour average AQI on Tuesday was 177.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’.

On Thursday, Delhi’s air quality will be in ‘moderate’ category, due to favourable ventilation condition, the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) said.

However, by the weekened Delhi’s air quality negatively impacted by withdrawal of monsoon from northwest India and the associated stagnant winds.

The monsoon started receding from Rajasthan on Monday. It is expected to withdraw from the rest of northwest India by Thursday, according to an India Meteorological Department official.