Air and weather

Smog in winter, the monsoon’s arrival, the AQI number on your phone: the air and weather shape daily life in India more than most of us realise.

This topic explains what the numbers mean, where they come from and what you can do with them.

Topic last reviewed 3 November 2026

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  1. How Weather Forecasts Are Made, and Why They Sometimes Go Wrong

    Your phone says 60% chance of rain at 4 p.m. Behind that number are satellites, radars, supercomputers and the laws of physics. Here’s how India’s weather forecasts are made, and why they can’t be perfect.

  2. Why North India Chokes on Smog Every Winter

    Delhi’s air is bad all year, but it turns dangerous from late October. The reason isn’t only more pollution: winter weather traps it close to the ground. Here’s how smog forms over the northern plains.

  3. Why the Monsoon Reaches Kerala First

    Every year the news waits for one announcement: the monsoon has arrived in Kerala. Here’s why the rains start there, how the India Meteorological Department decides the date, and how the monsoon spreads across the country.

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