SmogRank / Episodes / India
North-western India, 15 to 16 May 2025
For 2 days, from 15 to 16 May 2025, 23 cities in India had PM2.5 at least twice their usual for the time of year. The worst reading was Aya Nagar, Delhi, India: 252.0 µg/m³ on 15 May, about 4.8× its usual 52.1.
No cause named We have no fire or smoke records for these days, so we only say what the measurements show.
Cities reached 23 in 1 country
Days 2 15 to 16 May 2025
Worst day 15 May 22 cities counted
Furthest above usual 4.8× Aya Nagar
Day by day
Play 15 May 22 cities at twice their usual or more
Khurja Hāpur Dādri Meerut Loni Morādābād Agra Bareilly Alwar Dhaulpur Rishīkesh Dehradun Karauli Gwalior Dausa Jhunjhunūn Jaipur Chandigarh Gobindgarh Baddi Khanna Chūru Kanpur Ludhiana Ajmer Hanumāngarh Sri Ganganagar Nāgaur Bikaner Pāli Fīrozābād Sīkar Bathinda Bharatpur Tonk Muzaffarnagar Lucknow Mohali Bhiwadi Sawai Madhopur Noida Patiāla Vrindāvan Narela Ghāziābād Bawāna Bulandshahr Delhi Bāghpat Najafgarh Dera Māndi Greater Noida Aya Nagar 12 May 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Every measured city in the area, coloured by its PM2.5 that day; a dark ring marks a city at twice its usual or more. Bars: cities counted each day, coloured by their median level. Choose a day or press play; without JavaScript, the days link to that day's world ranking.
How it spread
Aya Nagar Aya Nagar, 12 May: no reading Aya Nagar, 13 May: 54.2 µg/m³ Aya Nagar, 14 May: 73.5 µg/m³ Aya Nagar, 15 May: 252.0 µg/m³, 4.8× its usual 52.1 Aya Nagar, 16 May: 172.0 µg/m³, 3.3× its usual 51.8 Aya Nagar, 17 May: 44.9 µg/m³ Aya Nagar, 18 May: 74.0 µg/m³ Aya Nagar, 19 May: 94.9 µg/m³ Narela Narela, 12 May: 66.2 µg/m³ Narela, 13 May: 42.4 µg/m³ Narela, 14 May: 79.3 µg/m³ Narela, 15 May: 238.0 µg/m³, 3.2× its usual 74.4 Narela, 16 May: 103.0 µg/m³ Narela, 17 May: 63.5 µg/m³ Narela, 18 May: 75.1 µg/m³ Narela, 19 May: 84.7 µg/m³ Dera Māndi Dera Māndi, 12 May: 52.9 µg/m³ Dera Māndi, 13 May: 32.9 µg/m³ Dera Māndi, 14 May: 54.9 µg/m³ Dera Māndi, 15 May: 233.0 µg/m³, 4.1× its usual 57.3 Dera Māndi, 16 May: 86.5 µg/m³ Dera Māndi, 17 May: 44.9 µg/m³ Dera Māndi, 18 May: 59.5 µg/m³ Dera Māndi, 19 May: 81.2 µg/m³ Bawāna Bawāna, 12 May: 67.5 µg/m³ Bawāna, 13 May: 53.5 µg/m³ Bawāna, 14 May: 69.0 µg/m³ Bawāna, 15 May: 215.0 µg/m³, 3.3× its usual 65.2 Bawāna, 16 May: 106.0 µg/m³ Bawāna, 17 May: 53.6 µg/m³ Bawāna, 18 May: 74.1 µg/m³ Bawāna, 19 May: 85.3 µg/m³ Delhi Delhi, 12 May: 46.4 µg/m³ Delhi, 13 May: 31.4 µg/m³ Delhi, 14 May: 62.2 µg/m³ Delhi, 15 May: 205.0 µg/m³, 3.6× its usual 57.4 Delhi, 16 May: 87.8 µg/m³ Delhi, 17 May: 42.9 µg/m³ Delhi, 18 May: 59.9 µg/m³ Delhi, 19 May: 75.7 µg/m³ Najafgarh Najafgarh, 12 May: 46.7 µg/m³ Najafgarh, 13 May: 27.3 µg/m³ Najafgarh, 14 May: 60.3 µg/m³ Najafgarh, 15 May: 201.0 µg/m³, 4.1× its usual 49.3 Najafgarh, 16 May: 77.0 µg/m³ Najafgarh, 17 May: 35.9 µg/m³ Najafgarh, 18 May: 43.4 µg/m³ Najafgarh, 19 May: 71.3 µg/m³ Bāghpat Bāghpat, 12 May: 27.9 µg/m³ Bāghpat, 13 May: 27.0 µg/m³ Bāghpat, 14 May: 35.9 µg/m³ Bāghpat, 15 May: 180.0 µg/m³, 4.1× its usual 44.3 Bāghpat, 16 May: 38.9 µg/m³ Bāghpat, 17 May: 33.1 µg/m³ Bāghpat, 18 May: 27.1 µg/m³ Bāghpat, 19 May: no reading Bulandshahr Bulandshahr, 12 May: 45.0 µg/m³ Bulandshahr, 13 May: 37.2 µg/m³ Bulandshahr, 14 May: 63.6 µg/m³ Bulandshahr, 15 May: 180.0 µg/m³, 3.5× its usual 51.1 Bulandshahr, 16 May: 57.4 µg/m³ Bulandshahr, 17 May: 31.7 µg/m³ Bulandshahr, 18 May: 43.6 µg/m³ Bulandshahr, 19 May: 42.8 µg/m³ Ghāziābād Ghāziābād, 12 May: 47.5 µg/m³ Ghāziābād, 13 May: 32.1 µg/m³ Ghāziābād, 14 May: no reading Ghāziābād, 15 May: 178.0 µg/m³, 3.3× its usual 54.4 Ghāziābād, 16 May: 77.0 µg/m³ Ghāziābād, 17 May: 47.8 µg/m³ Ghāziābād, 18 May: 50.7 µg/m³ Ghāziābād, 19 May: 54.5 µg/m³ Greater Noida Greater Noida, 12 May: 24.0 µg/m³ Greater Noida, 13 May: 12.4 µg/m³ Greater Noida, 14 May: 39.7 µg/m³ Greater Noida, 15 May: 156.0 µg/m³, 4.4× its usual 35.5 Greater Noida, 16 May: 41.2 µg/m³ Greater Noida, 17 May: 23.8 µg/m³ Greater Noida, 18 May: 28.1 µg/m³ Greater Noida, 19 May: 32.6 µg/m³ Bhiwadi Bhiwadi, 12 May: 40.3 µg/m³ Bhiwadi, 13 May: 35.5 µg/m³ Bhiwadi, 14 May: 60.2 µg/m³ Bhiwadi, 15 May: 144.5 µg/m³, 2.5× its usual 58.2 Bhiwadi, 16 May: 45.4 µg/m³ Bhiwadi, 17 May: 28.1 µg/m³ Bhiwadi, 18 May: 32.5 µg/m³ Bhiwadi, 19 May: 52.2 µg/m³ Noida Noida, 12 May: 34.8 µg/m³ Noida, 13 May: 18.4 µg/m³ Noida, 14 May: 44.3 µg/m³ Noida, 15 May: 144.0 µg/m³, 2.7× its usual 52.4 Noida, 16 May: 65.8 µg/m³ Noida, 17 May: 35.6 µg/m³ Noida, 18 May: 41.8 µg/m³ Noida, 19 May: 57.0 µg/m³ Muzaffarnagar Muzaffarnagar, 12 May: 62.3 µg/m³ Muzaffarnagar, 13 May: 69.8 µg/m³ Muzaffarnagar, 14 May: 85.4 µg/m³ Muzaffarnagar, 15 May: 134.0 µg/m³, 2.1× its usual 62.6 Muzaffarnagar, 16 May: 99.6 µg/m³ Muzaffarnagar, 17 May: 117.0 µg/m³ Muzaffarnagar, 18 May: 82.4 µg/m³ Muzaffarnagar, 19 May: 83.1 µg/m³ Lucknow Lucknow, 12 May: 50.9 µg/m³ Lucknow, 13 May: 62.7 µg/m³ Lucknow, 14 May: 71.3 µg/m³ Lucknow, 15 May: 109.0 µg/m³, 2.0× its usual 53.5 Lucknow, 16 May: 120.0 µg/m³, 2.2× its usual 53.5 Lucknow, 17 May: 78.2 µg/m³ Lucknow, 18 May: 69.7 µg/m³ Lucknow, 19 May: 60.0 µg/m³ Patiāla Patiāla, 12 May: 106.0 µg/m³ Patiāla, 13 May: 116.0 µg/m³ Patiāla, 14 May: 59.4 µg/m³ Patiāla, 15 May: 89.1 µg/m³, 2.8× its usual 31.9 Patiāla, 16 May: 63.9 µg/m³, 2.0× its usual 31.5 Patiāla, 17 May: 75.6 µg/m³ Patiāla, 18 May: 74.6 µg/m³ Patiāla, 19 May: 70.8 µg/m³ Tonk Tonk, 12 May: 32.7 µg/m³ Tonk, 13 May: 36.0 µg/m³ Tonk, 14 May: 35.0 µg/m³ Tonk, 15 May: 76.8 µg/m³, 2.1× its usual 35.8 Tonk, 16 May: no reading Tonk, 17 May: 24.8 µg/m³ Tonk, 18 May: 35.2 µg/m³ Tonk, 19 May: 36.8 µg/m³ Sawai Madhopur Sawai Madhopur, 12 May: 30.8 µg/m³ Sawai Madhopur, 13 May: 39.3 µg/m³ Sawai Madhopur, 14 May: 42.8 µg/m³ Sawai Madhopur, 15 May: 72.4 µg/m³, 2.6× its usual 27.4 Sawai Madhopur, 16 May: 48.2 µg/m³ Sawai Madhopur, 17 May: 42.9 µg/m³ Sawai Madhopur, 18 May: 34.8 µg/m³ Sawai Madhopur, 19 May: 36.7 µg/m³ Mohali Mohali, 12 May: 44.6 µg/m³ Mohali, 13 May: 83.5 µg/m³ Mohali, 14 May: 61.1 µg/m³ Mohali, 15 May: 70.7 µg/m³, 2.3× its usual 30.6 Mohali, 16 May: 36.9 µg/m³ Mohali, 17 May: 48.4 µg/m³ Mohali, 18 May: 43.1 µg/m³ Mohali, 19 May: 47.4 µg/m³ Sīkar Sīkar, 12 May: 25.8 µg/m³ Sīkar, 13 May: 24.5 µg/m³ Sīkar, 14 May: 33.0 µg/m³ Sīkar, 15 May: 61.5 µg/m³, 2.0× its usual 30.3 Sīkar, 16 May: 28.9 µg/m³ Sīkar, 17 May: 27.8 µg/m³ Sīkar, 18 May: 24.1 µg/m³ Sīkar, 19 May: 22.8 µg/m³ Fīrozābād Fīrozābād, 12 May: 24.1 µg/m³ Fīrozābād, 13 May: 23.4 µg/m³ Fīrozābād, 14 May: 25.5 µg/m³ Fīrozābād, 15 May: 58.8 µg/m³, 2.0× its usual 29.4 Fīrozābād, 16 May: 48.2 µg/m³ Fīrozābād, 17 May: 40.8 µg/m³ Fīrozābād, 18 May: 19.8 µg/m³ Fīrozābād, 19 May: 36.1 µg/m³ Vrindāvan Vrindāvan, 12 May: 23.3 µg/m³ Vrindāvan, 13 May: 17.6 µg/m³ Vrindāvan, 14 May: 27.9 µg/m³ Vrindāvan, 15 May: 52.9 µg/m³, 2.9× its usual 18.3 Vrindāvan, 16 May: 37.2 µg/m³, 2.0× its usual 18.3 Vrindāvan, 17 May: 30.4 µg/m³ Vrindāvan, 18 May: 19.9 µg/m³ Vrindāvan, 19 May: 31.4 µg/m³ Bharatpur Bharatpur, 12 May: 24.5 µg/m³ Bharatpur, 13 May: 25.3 µg/m³ Bharatpur, 14 May: 30.0 µg/m³ Bharatpur, 15 May: 43.5 µg/m³, 2.1× its usual 20.5 Bharatpur, 16 May: 33.1 µg/m³ Bharatpur, 17 May: 24.3 µg/m³ Bharatpur, 18 May: 29.6 µg/m³ Bharatpur, 19 May: 41.0 µg/m³ Bathinda Bathinda, 12 May: no reading Bathinda, 13 May: no reading Bathinda, 14 May: 79.2 µg/m³ Bathinda, 15 May: 64.5 µg/m³ Bathinda, 16 May: 86.3 µg/m³, 2.0× its usual 42.3 Bathinda, 17 May: 39.5 µg/m³ Bathinda, 18 May: no reading Bathinda, 19 May: 34.1 µg/m³ 12 May 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Every counted city, in the order the episode reached them, 3 days before to 3 after. Each square is a day, coloured by that day's PM2.5; outlined: at twice the city's usual or more. Good 0–50
Moderate 51–100
Sensitive groups 101–150
Unhealthy 151–200
Very unhealthy 201–300
Hazardous 301+
Every city it reached
City Days Highest Usual Above usual
Aya Nagar Delhi, India 2 15 May 52.1 4.8× Greater Noida Uttar Pradesh, India 1 15 May 35.5 4.4× Dera Māndi Delhi, India 1 15 May 57.3 4.1× Najafgarh Delhi, India 1 15 May 49.3 4.1× Bāghpat Uttar Pradesh, India 1 15 May 44.3 4.1× Delhi Delhi, India 1 15 May 57.4 3.6× Bulandshahr Uttar Pradesh, India 1 15 May 51.1 3.5× Bawāna Delhi, India 1 15 May 65.2 3.3× Ghāziābād Uttar Pradesh, India 1 15 May 54.4 3.3× Narela Delhi, India 1 15 May 74.4 3.2× Vrindāvan Uttar Pradesh, India 2 15 May 18.3 2.9× Patiāla Punjab, India 2 15 May 31.9 2.8× Noida Uttar Pradesh, India 1 15 May 52.4 2.7× Sawai Madhopur Rajasthan, India 1 15 May 27.4 2.6× Bhiwadi Rajasthan, India 1 15 May 58.2 2.5× Mohali Punjab, India 1 15 May 30.6 2.3× Lucknow Uttar Pradesh, India 2 16 May 53.5 2.2× Muzaffarnagar Uttar Pradesh, India 1 15 May 62.6 2.1× Tonk Rajasthan, India 1 15 May 35.8 2.1× Bharatpur Rajasthan, India 1 15 May 20.5 2.1× Bathinda Punjab, India 1 16 May 42.3 2.0× Sīkar Rajasthan, India 1 15 May 30.3 2.0× Fīrozābād Uttar Pradesh, India 1 15 May 29.4 2.0×
Daily means in µg/m³, over the days each city counted in this episode. Highest: its highest of those days. Usual: the city's median for the time of year of that day (its days within 21 days of the date, every year, leaving out the week around it). Above usual: its highest day against that, with a usual under 5 µg/m³ taken as 5.
Against other episodes in India
Number 10 of 54 episodes in India since our records began, by cities reached.
India and Pakistan, October 2025 170 Western India and Pakistan, September 2026 57 North-western India, 9 to 20 July 2026 51 Northern India and Pakistan, June 2025 48 Northern India, March and April 2025 45 North-western India, November 2025 27 North-western India, 21 to 29 April 2026 26 North-western India and Pakistan, April and May 2025 26 North-western India and Pakistan, March 2026 25 North-western India, 15 to 16 May 2025 23 North-eastern India, July 2026 21 North-eastern India, April 2025 20 Bars: cities reached; colour: the level of the episode's highest daily reading. All 54 .
Use this page SmogRank, North-western India, 15 to 16 May 2025: 23 cities with PM2.5 at twice their usual or more, 15 to 16 May 2025, smogrank.com/episodes/2025-05-15-north-western-india (accessed 4 October 2026).
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You're welcome to reuse a single chart, image or figure with this citation and a link. Terms .
An episode is a run of days when many cities close to each other (four or more within 350 km on a day, 8 or more in all) each had a daily PM2.5 mean of at least 25 µg/m³ and at least 2 times their usual for that time of year. Found in our own measurements, not picked by hand. How we find episodes . Values are each city's daily mean of its own monitors; causes are the usual kinds for a pattern like this, not a confirmed source.
