Showers, storms keep Gurgaon’s air cleaner, May AQI lowest in 5 years

Gurgaon: Air quality this May was the cleanest in five years. The city didn’t record a single ‘poor’ air day this month — and it wasn’t the result of any pollution mitigation measures.According to experts, frequent thunderstorms, rain and strong winds helped disperse pollutants through the month. Gurgaon’s average air quality index (AQI) was 149.5, or ‘moderate’, this May. This was an improvement from 163.5 in May 2025 and significantly lower than 219.8 in May 2024 and 204.9 in May 2022, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.An AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’.Data shows May 2026 recorded the best air quality since 2021, when the average AQI was 121.3 and was the third-cleanest May in the last 11 years. The month did not record a single day in the ‘poor’ category (AQI 201-300) or worse. The highest AQI was 194 on May 21, while the lowest was 86 on May 30.In comparison, May 2025 recorded four ‘poor’ days, with AQI touching 316 on May 15 and 288 on May 20 and 21. In May 2024, AQI crossed the 300 mark on four days, reaching 351 on May 4.Officials attributed the improvement largely to weather conditions. Gurgaon witnessed several rounds of thunderstorms, dust storms and rainfall during May, particularly in the second half of the month, which also led to a sharp fall in temperatures.A meteorological department official said, “There were multiple western disturbances during the month that brought rain and strong winds across the region. Such conditions improve ventilation and help in dispersal of pollutants, resulting in lower AQI levels.”The city also experienced an unusually cool end to May. The maximum temperature fell to 34.4 degrees Celsius on May 29, nearly 9 degrees below normal, after remaining above 43 degrees Celsius on May 26 and May 27.But experts pointed out that cleaner-than-normal air this May did not indicate any long-term improvement in the city’s pollution levels. “Lasting improvements in air quality will require stronger emission control measures, effective policy enforcement and continued public engagement,” head of Amity Centre for Air Pollution Control (Amity University Haryana) Dr Abul Amir Khan told TOI.“The recent improvement in air quality appears to be largely driven by favourable meteorological conditions. This underscores the significant role of anthropogenic emissions and demonstrates that meaningful reductions in pollution can be achieved through sustained human intervention. The observed gains may also reflect gradual progress in policy implementation and public participation, although further efforts are needed to strengthen these measures. Despite these improvements, major pollution sources such as vehicular emissions, road dust, construction activities and industrial emissions continue to persist. While favourable weather conditions can temporarily lower pollutant concentrations, they do not address the root causes of air pollution,” Khan added.Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) officials said road dust and construction activities continue to be among the major contributors to air pollution in Gurgaon. An HSPCB official said, “Various mitigation measures are being implemented throughout the year. However, sustained improvements will require stricter control of dust emissions, better public transport and effective monitoring of construction activities.”Though air quality generally improves during the monsoon and pre-monsoon months, pollution levels typically begin rising from Oct and peak during winter, when adverse meteorological conditions trap pollutants over Delhi-NCR.“Gurgaon recorded a marginal improvement in air quality in May 2026 compared to May 2025, a trend that was observed across several NCR cities. The decline in pollution levels suggests that favourable meteorological conditions likely contributed to the improvement. However, ozone remained a prominent pollutant during the summer months. While air quality management efforts have largely focused on particulate matter, there is an increasing need to control gaseous pollutants as well,” said CREA air analyst Manoj Kumar