AQI breaches 200 mark in 6 Punjab cities: Temperature drop but no rain expected

October 23, 2025

Punjab’s average temperature has seen a slight decrease. The temperature dropped by 0.4 degrees in 24 hours, after which conditions returned to normal. The Meteorological Center says that there will not be much change in the weather in the coming days. Meanwhile, the pollution situation in Punjab is worsening. Rain is also not in sight, which means there is no hope of relief.

According to a bulletin issued by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) at 4 pm on Wednesday, the situation in six of Punjab’s eight major cities remains deplorable. Pollution levels in six districts exceeded the AQI of 200, meaning an orange alert has been issued. Bathinda’s AQI reached 167, and late in the evening, Rupnagar’s AQI was recorded at 59.

Learn why breathing becomes difficult in winter

In winter, all solid objects on the earth’s surface, such as roads, buildings, bridges, etc., release heat from the sun at night. The released heat rises 50 to 100 meters above the ground, forming a layer. This prevents atmospheric air from rising upwards. This means that this air remains locked at the lower levels of the atmosphere.

The air near the ground below this layer is cold, and cold air has little movement. Pollution particles also mix with this air and are unable to rise upwards, locking the pollution in with the cold air. This is why pollution increases in winter, leading to smog and fog.

Relief will come after rain

Some of the pollutants in the atmosphere, such as sulfur oxides, carbon oxides, and particulate matter, are water-friendly. They react chemically with water and dissolve in it. When rain occurs during pollution, the sulfur, carbon, and nitrogen chemicals combine with water and dissolve in the soil. This filters out about half of the pollutants from the air, reducing air pollution.

That’s why meteorologists say that rain after Diwali could help reduce pollution. Sometimes, when pollution levels become too high, aerial water spraying is also used. Additionally, water sprinkling is used to prevent road dust from adding to air pollution.