AQI crosses 700 in City; rain spell forecast

LAHORE:The Air Quality Index (AQI) of the provincial capital deteriorated further as the average AQI was recorded as 292, very unhealthy while the maximum crossed 700.

Data collected from IQAir revealed that PM2.5 concentration was 43.5 times the World Health Organisation annual PM2.5 guideline value. The most polluted city areas included Tufail Road (798), Phase8-DHA (710), Askari 10 (571), Near Ada Plot, Raiwind Road (507), Polo Ground Cantt (453), Hiking & Mountaineering Club GCU (408), US Consulate (398), Mini Market Gulberg (371) and Pine Avenue (366).

Meanwhile, the City witnessed a cloudy and hazy weather due to the presence of a frontal weather system present over upper parts of the country and likely to persist in upper parts till 6th January.

Met officials predicted rain-wind/thunderstorm in most parts of the province, including the provincial metropolis till January 6. Besides, rain (snow over mountains) was expected in North Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, Upper Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir. Moderate to dense fog was likely to persist in most plain areas of Punjab and upper Sindh. Thursday’s minimum temperature was recorded at Skardu and Gupis where mercury dropped to -09°C, while in Lahore, it was 5.6°C and maximum was 16.7°C.