Winter air quality in India is hazardous, with PM2.5 pollution levels reach more than 10 times the World Health Organization’s annual limit. Hazy skies and pollution alerts have become the norm during India’s winters. But just why is this?
Analyzing India’s Summer & Winter Pollution Levels
Data analyzed by Smart Air showed that India’s winter PM2.5 air pollution is three times higher than summer in some cities. That’s a huge increase in PM2.5.
A graph of Delhi’s pollution levels shows these winter peaks in pollution. PM2.5 typically begins to rise starting in October, and it remains high until March of the next year.
The winter peaks and summer troughs in PM2.5 are clear, but why does it happen?
The Reason Winter Air Quality in India Is so Bad
Air quality worsens in the winter because of how the air mixes. In the winter, the surface of the earth gets cooler, and the air near the surface is also cooled. This dense layer of cool often gets trapped below a layer of warm air, which is called a “temperature inversion.” With less air mixing, pollutants are trapped near the ground, leaving cities to choke on their own pollution.
Diwali, typically taking place around October and November is India’s new year festival. Firecrackers are often let off which create huge rises in air pollution during Diwali. This is another reason for an increase in PM2.5 levels during India’s winters.
The winter also brings pollution from farmers burning their crop stubble, as well as people burning fires for warmth.
Bottom Line:
Air quality data shows that PM2.5 air pollution is 59% higher in winter than in summer across five major cities in India. This air quality exceeds the WHO annual limit regardless of the season.
How I Protect Myself From India’s Winter PM2.5
Breathing clean air doesn’t need to cost an arm and a leg. Here’s how I protect myself from high pollution levels during India’s polluted winters:
1. Wear a pollution mask outdoors when PM2.5 is above 10 micrograms.
Learn more: How wearing masks can benefit health »
2. Use an air purifier at home. Studies of air purifiers have found that reducing particulate indoors prevents harm to blood pressure, inflammation, and immune response—even among young, healthy twenty-year-olds.
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