Delhi and its suburbs witnessed a slight reprieve from hazardous air quality on Monday, attributed to rain and favorable wind speeds induced by a western disturbance impacting northwest India. The Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's primary weather station, reported 7.2 mm of rainfall by 8:30 pm, enhancing wind speeds to 20 km/h and aiding the dispersion of pollutants.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) for Delhi showed improvement, registering 387 at 10 pm—down from 395 at 4 pm and 400 at 9 am. The 24-hour average AQI, a crucial metric, was 395 on Sunday, signaling a positive trend.

Despite the improvement, the city grappled with severe air quality for the 10th time this November, surpassing last year's count of three severe days. Biomass burning remains a major contributor, prompting Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai to enforce stringent measures against polluting vehicles and biomass burning. The city's battle against air pollution continues amid efforts to curb deteriorating air quality.