This year’s continuous rainfall in October has not only brought down temperatures but has also had a direct impact on the climate of Doon. Although this year’s rains brought suffering to many areas of Uttarakhand, including Dehradun, the rains before Diwali have washed away dust particles and pollutants from the air, cleansing the atmosphere.
This is why this October has seen greater improvement compared to previous years. AQI data confirms this. On October 12, 2024, Doon’s AQI was 54. Previously, in 2023, the AQI was recorded at 89, while this year the figure was 49.
Similarly, when it comes to PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels, the 2025 figures are also better than the previous two years. On October 12th, the maximum PM 2.5 level was 29.24 and PM 10 level was 33.51. In 2024, the PM 2.5 level reached 28.57 and PM 10 level 53.72 on this day. Meteorologist Rohit Thapliyal explained, “Rain acts as a natural air purifier. Heavy rainfall causes pollutants floating in the atmosphere to settle to the ground, improving air quality.”
Doon’s climate deteriorated the day after Diwali last year. The air quality in Doon deteriorated significantly the day after Diwali. Data shows that on October 31st, 2024, the AQI in Doon reached 333, while the maximum PM 2.5 level was 163.48 and PM 10 level was 205.03.
Last year, the air quality began to deteriorate a week before Diwali.
This year, the rains in October have cleared the air in Doon. Last year, the air quality began to deteriorate before Diwali. A week before Diwali, Doon’s AQI was yellow. Data shows that on October 22nd, the AQI was recorded at 175, with a maximum PM 2.5 level of 82.35 and PM 10 at 125.39.
Doon receives 56% more rainfall.
This year, rainfall has set a new record compared to last year. Data shows that Dehradun alone has received 56% more rainfall than normal. Bageshwar received the highest rainfall, with 67.5 mm of rainfall as of October 16th, which is 314% more than normal. Chamoli district is in second place, receiving 52.7 mm of rainfall, which is 279% more than normal.
