Thunderstorm cleanses Ludhiana’s air

This rain spell resulted in a significant improvement in the air quality index (AQI), going down from “poor” at 264 in the early hours of Thursday to 51 to be placed in the “satisfactory” category within a span of 12 hours

The fresh spell of rainfall washed away the pollutants in the city’s air, delivering a much-needed respite to the city residents. A western disturbance (WD) ushered in 12.6 mm of rainfall accompanied by a light thunderstorm and winds ranging between five to six km per hour.

The maximum temperature also dropped seven notches to 18.6° C on Thursday. (HT PHOTO)

This rain spell resulted in a significant improvement in the air quality index (AQI), going down from “poor” at 264 in the early hours of Thursday to 51 to be placed in the “satisfactory” category within a span of 12 hours.

The air quality index had persistently remained in the “very poor” zone throughout November, often exceeding the mark of 300.

Notably, this year’s November is the wettest since 2019 — totaling 28.6 mm rainfall. That also makes it the fourth-highest since 1970. Previous peaks occurred in 1980 with 85 mm, 2019 with 35.2 mm, and 1997 with 29 mm rainfall.

Ushers in cold weather

The latest spell of rainfall not only allayed concerns about air quality, but also induced a substantial drop in the day temperature. On Thursday, Ludhiana recorded a maximum temperature of 18.6° C and a minimum temperature of 15° C, dropping a sharp seven degrees from Wednesday’s maximum of 26° C maximum and 16° C.

The maximum temperature on Thursday makes it the coldest November day in the last 46 years, marking the last instance of such lower temperatures in November back in 1977 with a maximum day temperature of 16.6° C. Similarly, the minimum temperature has hit a record low since 1970, with only 1978 matching the figure of 15° C.

Experts from Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) predicted dry weather for the coming days, with moderate fog bringing cooler mornings.

PK Kingra, head of Punjab Agriculture University’s Climate Change and agriculture meteorological department, explained, “The rain Ludhiana received today is beneficial for both farmers and residents, as it will help retain moisture in the soil and has significantly improved the AQI, bringing relief from surging pollution-related health ailments.”