The MeT department has predicted a partly cloudy sky and a maximum temperature of around 28 degrees Celsius for today.

The met department officials said that humidity level was high at 98 per cent. The high humidity in Delhi is due to heavy smog covering the entire NCR. The wind remains calm over Delhi-NCR sky.

Meanwhile, Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar blamed the previous governments for dangerous pollution level in Delhi. Javadekar has also served as the Union Environment Minister under the Narendra Modi government.

Speaking at a press conference in Ahmedabad during Gujarat election campaign today, Javadekar said, Delhi's pollution has not increased because of Narendra Modi government. Situation worsened in the previous 10 years as the then governments did not address the issue seriously.

Javadekar further said, question about sustainable environment arises with the pace of development. Efforts are made and we will keep taking steps in this regard, he said, adding, this is not a political issue.

The minimum temperature at 13C was a notch below the average for the season. The smog condition is likely to improve with light rain this week. Rain is expected on November 14-15. The met department officials said that light rain might intensify the fog but could clear the smog.

The national capital has been experiencing dense smog for the past a few days, forcing authorities to enforce emergency measures such as banning construction activities and brick kilns due to worsening air pollution.

DELHI SMOG: OTHER TOP DEVELOPMENTS

1. United Airlines has temporarily suspended flights to Delhi due to "poor air quality" in the national capital. The US-based carrier is possibly the first airline to suspend operations to the city, citing air pollution that has worsened in recent days and has forced authorities to resort to emergency measures.

2. "United temporarily suspended Newark-Delhi flights due to poor air quality concerns in Delhi and currently has waiver policies in place for customers who are travelling to, from or through Delhi," an airline spokesperson said in a statement today.

3. The spokesperson also said the airline is monitoring advisories as the region remains under a public health emergency, and is coordinating with respective government agencies. United Airlines customers have been asked to check its website or download the mobile app for latest updates. The carrier operates flights to Newark from Delhi and Mumbai.

4. The "odd-even" rationing of cars, which was scheduled to begin tomorrow was deferred by the Delhi government after the National Green Tribunal ordered the withdrawal of exemptions given to women and two-wheelers under the scheme.

5. The government will move the NGT tomorrow requesting a review of its order and if the exemptions are granted, the scheme's implementation "will be considered".

6. After a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot announced that the measure, which was to be implemented between November 13 and 17, was being "called off" as the number of buses were inadequate and women's safety could not be compromised.

7. The NGT, which gave a conditional nod to the scheme, said that it should be implemented as and when PM (particulate matter) 10 level goes above 500 micrograms per cubic metre and PM 2.5 level crosses the limit of 300 micrograms per cubic metre and persist for 48 hours at a stretch.

8. At around 3.30 pm, Environment Minister Imran Hussain said the levels of PM2.5 and PM10 had also dropped. But by evening, the pollution was back to 'emergency' levels and a thick haze descended on the city.

9. The Centre-run monitoring agency SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research) attributed the rise in pollution to the lowering of the "boundary layer" keeping pollutants trapped near the surface and preventing their escape into the upper layer of the atmosphere.

10. "There is no likelihood of last week's repeat as there is no fresh influx of pollutants from external sources such as stubble burning or dust storm in the larger region. But recovery will get delayed by at least one more day," SAFAR project director Gufran Beig said.

11. The hourly graph of the Central Control Room for Air Quality Management run by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) also captured the sudden change in the air quality. The concentration of PM2.5 and PM10 hovered around 490 and 290 micrograms per cubic metre during the morning hours, marginally below the emergency limit of 500 and 300.

12. By 6 pm, the readings had changed to 522 and 332. In fact, the improvement in the air quality made during the day started diminishing from around 2 pm itself. The corresponding safe standards are 60 and 100 and prolonged exposure to anything beyond that is considered hazardous to human health as these particulates, measuring up to 30 times finer than the width of a human hair, can enter the respiratory system and settle deep in the lungs and also enter the bloodstream.

13. The CPCB's air quality index for the day (based on pollution levels till 5 pm) had a score of 403, as against yesterday's 468. Beig said the drop in both the minimum and maximum temperatures led to the coming down of the boundary layer from around 1600 metres from the surface at 11 am to 50 metres at 5 pm.

14. According to the weather office, the maximum and minimum temperatures were 12.6 and 28.3 degrees Celsius respectively. The minimum was a notch below the season's average, it said.