SmogRank / Episodes / India
North-western India, 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 Bathinda Fīrozābād Sīkar Bharatpur Muzaffarnagar Tonk Lucknow Mohali Bhiwadi Sawai Madhopur Noida Patiāla Vrindāvan Narela Bawāna Ghāziābād Bulandshahr Delhi Bāghpat Dera Māndi Najafgarh 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
Patiāla Patiāla, 12 May: 106.0 µg/m³, 3.3× usual Patiāla, 13 May: 116.0 µg/m³, 3.6× usual Patiāla, 14 May: 59.4 µg/m³, 1.9× usual Patiāla, 15 May: 89.1 µg/m³, 2.8× usual Patiāla, 16 May: 63.9 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Patiāla, 17 May: 75.6 µg/m³, 2.4× usual Patiāla, 18 May: 74.6 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Patiāla, 19 May: 70.8 µg/m³, 2.2× usual Mohali Mohali, 12 May: 44.6 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Mohali, 13 May: 83.5 µg/m³, 2.7× usual Mohali, 14 May: 61.1 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Mohali, 15 May: 70.7 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Mohali, 16 May: 36.9 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Mohali, 17 May: 48.4 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Mohali, 18 May: 43.1 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Mohali, 19 May: 47.4 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Aya Nagar Aya Nagar, 12 May: no reading Aya Nagar, 13 May: 54.2 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Aya Nagar, 14 May: 73.5 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Aya Nagar, 15 May: 252.0 µg/m³, 4.8× usual Aya Nagar, 16 May: 172.0 µg/m³, 3.3× usual Aya Nagar, 17 May: 44.9 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Aya Nagar, 18 May: 74.0 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Aya Nagar, 19 May: 94.9 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Narela Narela, 12 May: 66.2 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Narela, 13 May: 42.4 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Narela, 14 May: 79.3 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Narela, 15 May: 238.0 µg/m³, 3.2× usual Narela, 16 May: 103.0 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Narela, 17 May: 63.5 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Narela, 18 May: 75.1 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Narela, 19 May: 84.7 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Dera Māndi Dera Māndi, 12 May: 52.9 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Dera Māndi, 13 May: 32.9 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Dera Māndi, 14 May: 54.9 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Dera Māndi, 15 May: 233.0 µg/m³, 4.1× usual Dera Māndi, 16 May: 86.5 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Dera Māndi, 17 May: 44.9 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Dera Māndi, 18 May: 59.5 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Dera Māndi, 19 May: 81.2 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Bawāna Bawāna, 12 May: 67.5 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Bawāna, 13 May: 53.5 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Bawāna, 14 May: 69.0 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Bawāna, 15 May: 215.0 µg/m³, 3.3× usual Bawāna, 16 May: 106.0 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Bawāna, 17 May: 53.6 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Bawāna, 18 May: 74.1 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Bawāna, 19 May: 85.3 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Delhi Delhi, 12 May: 46.4 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Delhi, 13 May: 31.4 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Delhi, 14 May: 62.2 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Delhi, 15 May: 205.0 µg/m³, 3.6× usual Delhi, 16 May: 87.8 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Delhi, 17 May: 42.9 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Delhi, 18 May: 59.9 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Delhi, 19 May: 75.7 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Najafgarh Najafgarh, 12 May: 46.7 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Najafgarh, 13 May: 27.3 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Najafgarh, 14 May: 60.3 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Najafgarh, 15 May: 201.0 µg/m³, 4.1× usual Najafgarh, 16 May: 77.0 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Najafgarh, 17 May: 35.9 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Najafgarh, 18 May: 43.4 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Najafgarh, 19 May: 71.3 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Bāghpat Bāghpat, 12 May: 27.9 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Bāghpat, 13 May: 27.0 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Bāghpat, 14 May: 35.9 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Bāghpat, 15 May: 180.0 µg/m³, 4.1× usual Bāghpat, 16 May: 38.9 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Bāghpat, 17 May: 33.1 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Bāghpat, 18 May: 27.1 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Bāghpat, 19 May: no reading Bulandshahr Bulandshahr, 12 May: 45.0 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Bulandshahr, 13 May: 37.2 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Bulandshahr, 14 May: 63.6 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Bulandshahr, 15 May: 180.0 µg/m³, 3.5× usual Bulandshahr, 16 May: 57.4 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Bulandshahr, 17 May: 31.7 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Bulandshahr, 18 May: 43.6 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Bulandshahr, 19 May: 42.8 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Ghāziābād Ghāziābād, 12 May: 47.5 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Ghāziābād, 13 May: 32.1 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Ghāziābād, 14 May: no reading Ghāziābād, 15 May: 178.0 µg/m³, 3.3× usual Ghāziābād, 16 May: 77.0 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Ghāziābād, 17 May: 47.8 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Ghāziābād, 18 May: 50.7 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Ghāziābād, 19 May: 54.5 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Greater Noida Greater Noida, 12 May: 24.0 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Greater Noida, 13 May: 12.4 µg/m³, 0.3× usual Greater Noida, 14 May: 39.7 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Greater Noida, 15 May: 156.0 µg/m³, 4.4× usual Greater Noida, 16 May: 41.2 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Greater Noida, 17 May: 23.8 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Greater Noida, 18 May: 28.1 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Greater Noida, 19 May: 32.6 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Bhiwadi Bhiwadi, 12 May: 40.3 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Bhiwadi, 13 May: 35.5 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Bhiwadi, 14 May: 60.2 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Bhiwadi, 15 May: 144.5 µg/m³, 2.5× usual Bhiwadi, 16 May: 45.4 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Bhiwadi, 17 May: 28.1 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Bhiwadi, 18 May: 32.5 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Bhiwadi, 19 May: 52.2 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Noida Noida, 12 May: 34.8 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Noida, 13 May: 18.4 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Noida, 14 May: 44.3 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Noida, 15 May: 144.0 µg/m³, 2.7× usual Noida, 16 May: 65.8 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Noida, 17 May: 35.6 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Noida, 18 May: 41.8 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Noida, 19 May: 57.0 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Muzaffarnagar Muzaffarnagar, 12 May: 62.3 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Muzaffarnagar, 13 May: 69.8 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Muzaffarnagar, 14 May: 85.4 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Muzaffarnagar, 15 May: 134.0 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Muzaffarnagar, 16 May: 99.6 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Muzaffarnagar, 17 May: 117.0 µg/m³, 1.9× usual Muzaffarnagar, 18 May: 82.4 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Muzaffarnagar, 19 May: 83.1 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Lucknow Lucknow, 12 May: 50.9 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Lucknow, 13 May: 62.7 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Lucknow, 14 May: 71.3 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Lucknow, 15 May: 109.0 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Lucknow, 16 May: 120.0 µg/m³, 2.2× usual Lucknow, 17 May: 78.2 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Lucknow, 18 May: 69.7 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Lucknow, 19 May: 60.0 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Tonk Tonk, 12 May: 32.7 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Tonk, 13 May: 36.0 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Tonk, 14 May: 35.0 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Tonk, 15 May: 76.8 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Tonk, 16 May: no reading Tonk, 17 May: 24.8 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Tonk, 18 May: 35.2 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Tonk, 19 May: 36.8 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Sawai Madhopur Sawai Madhopur, 12 May: 30.8 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Sawai Madhopur, 13 May: 39.3 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Sawai Madhopur, 14 May: 42.8 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Sawai Madhopur, 15 May: 72.4 µg/m³, 2.6× usual Sawai Madhopur, 16 May: 48.2 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Sawai Madhopur, 17 May: 42.9 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Sawai Madhopur, 18 May: 34.8 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Sawai Madhopur, 19 May: 36.7 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Sīkar Sīkar, 12 May: 25.8 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Sīkar, 13 May: 24.5 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Sīkar, 14 May: 33.0 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Sīkar, 15 May: 61.5 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Sīkar, 16 May: 28.9 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Sīkar, 17 May: 27.8 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Sīkar, 18 May: 24.1 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Sīkar, 19 May: 22.8 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Fīrozābād Fīrozābād, 12 May: 24.1 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Fīrozābād, 13 May: 23.4 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Fīrozābād, 14 May: 25.5 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Fīrozābād, 15 May: 58.8 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Fīrozābād, 16 May: 48.2 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Fīrozābād, 17 May: 40.8 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Fīrozābād, 18 May: 19.8 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Fīrozābād, 19 May: 36.1 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Vrindāvan Vrindāvan, 12 May: 23.3 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Vrindāvan, 13 May: 17.6 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Vrindāvan, 14 May: 27.9 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Vrindāvan, 15 May: 52.9 µg/m³, 2.9× usual Vrindāvan, 16 May: 37.2 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Vrindāvan, 17 May: 30.4 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Vrindāvan, 18 May: 19.9 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Vrindāvan, 19 May: 31.4 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Bharatpur Bharatpur, 12 May: 24.5 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Bharatpur, 13 May: 25.3 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Bharatpur, 14 May: 30.0 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Bharatpur, 15 May: 43.5 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Bharatpur, 16 May: 33.1 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Bharatpur, 17 May: 24.3 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Bharatpur, 18 May: 29.6 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Bharatpur, 19 May: 41.0 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Bathinda Bathinda, 12 May: no reading Bathinda, 13 May: no reading Bathinda, 14 May: 79.2 µg/m³, 1.9× usual Bathinda, 15 May: 64.5 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Bathinda, 16 May: 86.3 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Bathinda, 17 May: 39.5 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Bathinda, 18 May: no reading Bathinda, 19 May: 34.1 µg/m³, 0.8× usual 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× Najafgarh Delhi, India 1 15 May 49.3 4.1× Dera Māndi Delhi, India 1 15 May 57.3 4.1× Bāghpat Uttar Pradesh, India 1 15 May 44.3 4.1× Patiāla Punjab, India 2 13 May 31.9 3.6× 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× Noida Uttar Pradesh, India 1 15 May 52.4 2.7× Mohali Punjab, India 1 13 May 30.6 2.7× Sawai Madhopur Rajasthan, India 1 15 May 27.4 2.6× Bhiwadi Rajasthan, India 1 15 May 58.2 2.5× Lucknow Uttar Pradesh, India 2 16 May 53.5 2.2× Tonk Rajasthan, India 1 15 May 35.8 2.1× Muzaffarnagar Uttar Pradesh, India 1 15 May 62.6 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. Usual: the city's median for this time of year (its days within 21 days of the date, every year, leaving out the week around it). Above usual: its highest day against that.
Against other episodes in India
Number 10 of 54 episodes in India since our records began, by cities reached.
North-western India, October 2025 170 North-western India, September 2026 57 North-western India, July 2026 51 North-western India, June 2025 47 North-eastern India, March and April 2025 45 North-western India, November 2025 27 North-western India, April 2026 26 North-western India, April and May 2025 26 North-western India and Pakistan, March 2026 25 North-western India, May 2025 23 North-eastern India, July 2026 22 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, May 2025: 23 cities with PM2.5 at twice their usual or more, 15 to 16 May 2025, smogrank.com/episodes/2025-05-north-western-india (accessed 2 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.
