Anantapur — Seasonal Pollution Patterns
Month-by-month air quality patterns for Anantapur across 3 years of CPCB data. Based on CPCB station data, 2016–present.
Andhra Pradesh · Live Anantapur AQI →
At a glance
Based on 3 years of CPCB monitoring across 1 stations, Anantapur averages AQI 68 annually, with a pronounced seasonal pattern classified as flat year-round. The worst month is February at AQI 102 (Moderate) and the cleanest is July at AQI 56 (Satisfactory) — a 46-point swing between them. Severe days (AQI > 400) make up 0% of the record while Good-or-Satisfactory days account for 90.8%.
The four seasons
Indian meteorological seasons: Winter (Dec–Feb), Summer (Mar–May), Monsoon (Jun–Sep), Post-monsoon (Oct–Nov).
Winter
AQI 76Summer
AQI 66Monsoon
AQI 60Post-monsoon
AQI 72Climograph — monthly averages and Poor+ days
Bars show the long-run AQI average per month. The overlay line counts days in Poor, Very Poor or Severe bands.
Year × month heatmap
One cell per year-month combination.
Each cell = monthly average AQI for that year-month combination. Row averages on the right, column averages at the bottom.
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 57 | 62 | 82 | 78 | 59 | 70 |
| 2023 | 75 | 128 | 59 | 52 | 51 | 63 | 43 | 61 | 52 | 85 | 57 | 72 | 66 |
| 2024 | 77 | 70 | 86 | 82 | 74 | 67 | 70 | 62 | 56 | 59 | 74 | 49 | 69 |
| Avg | 76 | 103 | 70 | 64 | 62 | 65 | 55 | 61 | 57 | 75 | 70 | 60 | — |
Winter in Anantapur
Winter (Dec–Jan–Feb) in Anantapur averages AQI 76 across 190 measured days — Satisfactory on the NAQI scale. 0% of those days fall in Very Poor or Severe; 87.9% are Good or Satisfactory. Year-on-year, winter improved by 28% in the most recent comparison. Winter in Anantapur is not the headline season, but shallow morning inversions can still produce short spikes. Anantapur's cleanest months lie elsewhere in the calendar, so the winter response is less about evacuation than about protecting sensitive groups on the worst individual days.
Diwali, stubble burning and the monsoon
Three India-specific signatures that shape the seasonal curve.
Diwali week impact
The 7-day window around Diwali averages AQI 101 (Moderate), versus 68 (Satisfactory) for the rest of October. 17 sampled days across the CPCB record.
Stubble-burning window (Oct 15 – Nov 15)
In-window severe-day share 0% vs 0% outside the window. The difference is a direct signal of upwind crop-residue transport.
Monsoon cleansing (Jul 15 – Sep 15)
Core monsoon window averages AQI 57 (Satisfactory), compared with an annual mean of 68.
Summer
Summer (Mar–Apr–May) in Anantapur averages AQI 66 across 149 measured days — Satisfactory on the NAQI scale. 0% of those days fall in Very Poor or Severe; 93.3% are Good or Satisfactory. Year-on-year, summer worsened by 49.3% in the most recent comparison. Summer air in Anantapur is shaped by a very different mix of forces. Rising temperatures drive deeper vertical mixing which dilutes local emissions, but pre-monsoon dust storms, wildfires and heat-accelerated ozone formation can all push AQI higher on individual days. Anantapur's summer mean of 66 is the lighter side of the year for outdoor activity, though hot afternoons can still irritate sensitive airways.
Monsoon
Monsoon (Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep) in Anantapur averages AQI 60 across 222 measured days — Satisfactory on the NAQI scale. 0% of those days fall in Very Poor or Severe; 97.7% are Good or Satisfactory. Year-on-year, monsoon worsened by 16.9% in the most recent comparison. The Jul 15 – Sep 15 core monsoon window averages AQI 57, a 16.2% improvement on the annual mean of 68. Rain scrubs particulates out by wet deposition, and the deeper monsoon boundary layer disperses what remains vertically. Short-lived rebounds can happen between spells of rain, but the overall pattern is strongly favourable for outdoor activity. For anyone with asthma or heart conditions, monsoon is the easy-breathing stretch of the year in Anantapur.
Post-monsoon
Post-monsoon (Oct–Nov) in Anantapur averages AQI 72 across 140 measured days — Satisfactory on the NAQI scale. 0% of those days fall in Very Poor or Severe; 80.7% are Good or Satisfactory. Year-on-year, post-monsoon worsened by 2.2% in the most recent comparison. Diwali and the three days either side of it average AQI 101 — 1.49× the normal October baseline of AQI 68 for Anantapur, a spike of 33 points. Post-monsoon in Anantapur is the handoff from clean monsoon air to the winter peak, and the transition is rarely gentle.
Month-by-month trajectories
How each month has moved across the 3-year CPCB record.
First year vs latest year
Annual and per-season comparison.
Across the 3-year CPCB record Anantapur is roughly stable overall — AQI moved from 70 in 2022 to 69 in 2024, a -1.4% change. No month shows a material worsening of 10% or more. No month shows a material improvement of 10% or more. Because Anantapur's seasonal shape is flat year-round, policy action that targets the February peak buys disproportionate relief — most city-wide annual averages are dragged upwards by the worst two or three months.
Daily calendar heatmap
Every measured day for the last 3 years. Expand for the full 3-year archive.
Month-by-month deep dive
Tap any month to expand.
Jan2023–2024Latest AQI 77+3%
Jan in Anantapur averages AQI 77 (Satisfactory) in the most recent year, having moved from 75 in 2023. Direction: stable (+2.7%).
Feb2023–2024Latest AQI 70-45%
Feb in Anantapur averages AQI 70 (Satisfactory) in the most recent year, having moved from 128 in 2023. Direction: improving (-45.3%).
Mar2023–2024Latest AQI 86+46%
Mar in Anantapur averages AQI 86 (Satisfactory) in the most recent year, having moved from 59 in 2023. Direction: worsening (+45.8%).
Apr2023–2024Latest AQI 82+58%
Apr in Anantapur averages AQI 82 (Satisfactory) in the most recent year, having moved from 52 in 2023. Direction: worsening (+57.7%).
May2023–2024Latest AQI 74+45%
May in Anantapur averages AQI 74 (Satisfactory) in the most recent year, having moved from 51 in 2023. Direction: worsening (+45.1%).
Jun2023–2024Latest AQI 67+6%
Jun in Anantapur averages AQI 67 (Satisfactory) in the most recent year, having moved from 63 in 2023. Direction: stable (+6.3%).
Jul2023–2024Latest AQI 70+63%
Jul in Anantapur averages AQI 70 (Satisfactory) in the most recent year, having moved from 43 in 2023. Direction: worsening (+62.8%).
Aug2022–2024Latest AQI 62+9%
Aug in Anantapur averages AQI 62 (Satisfactory) in the most recent year, having moved from 57 in 2022. Direction: stable (+8.8%).
Sep2022–2024Latest AQI 56-10%
Sep in Anantapur averages AQI 56 (Satisfactory) in the most recent year, having moved from 62 in 2022. Direction: stable (-9.7%).
Oct2022–2024Latest AQI 59-28%
Oct in Anantapur averages AQI 59 (Satisfactory) in the most recent year, having moved from 82 in 2022. Direction: improving (-28.0%).
Nov2022–2024Latest AQI 74-5%
Nov in Anantapur averages AQI 74 (Satisfactory) in the most recent year, having moved from 78 in 2022. Direction: stable (-5.1%).
Dec2022–2024Latest AQI 49-17%
Dec in Anantapur averages AQI 49 (Good) in the most recent year, having moved from 59 in 2022. Direction: improving (-16.9%).
Cities with similar (and opposite) seasonal profiles
Ranked by cosine similarity of 12-month AQI signatures across monitored Indian cities.
Similar seasonal profile
Cities whose 12-month AQI signature most closely matches Anantapur.
Opposite seasonal profile
Cities whose seasonal signature least resembles Anantapur.
What to do with this information
If you are choosing when to visit Anantapur or plan outdoor events — marathons, weddings, school sports, outdoor festivals — the CPCB record says July and the two adjacent months are the lowest-risk window. Daily variability still matters; check the live AQI page before committing on any specific date. Sensitive groups should treat February in Anantapur as an indoor-air-priority month: close windows on high-AQI evenings, run a purifier with a HEPA filter rated for your room size, and reserve outdoor exercise for clear-weather mornings. On days above AQI 300, even healthy adults benefit from well-fitted N95 or KN95 masks for outdoor commutes.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the most polluted month in Anantapur?
February is the most polluted month in Anantapur on average, with a long-run AQI of 102 — firmly in the Moderate band. This is drawn from 1 CPCB monitoring stations across 3 years of daily readings. Through February, residents should expect elevated PM2.5 and PM10, reduced visibility on cooler mornings, and strong recommendations from doctors to limit outdoor exertion, wear well-fitted N95 masks, and run indoor purifiers through evening and overnight hours when pollutant accumulation typically peaks.
What is the cleanest month to visit Anantapur?
July is the cleanest month of the year in Anantapur, averaging AQI 56 in the Satisfactory band. The months immediately before and after also tend to sit well below the annual mean of 68, so a visit window centred on July is the safest choice for outdoor sightseeing, marathons, school trips and wedding events. Mornings are usually the crispest time to head out; pollution tends to creep up slightly during the evening commute even in the cleanest months. Always cross-check the day-of live AQI before any high-exertion outdoor plan.
Why does Anantapur's air spike in February?
Anantapur's profile is relatively flat year-round; the small February reflects modest swings in wind, rainfall and local emissions rather than a dramatic seasonal mechanism.
How bad is Diwali air quality in Anantapur?
Across the CPCB record, the week around Diwali in Anantapur averages AQI 101 — 1.49× the normal October baseline of AQI 68, a spike of 33 AQI points. Firework particulates combine with a cooler, more stagnant late-October atmosphere to produce some of the worst air-quality days of the entire year. Sensitive groups should treat Diwali eve and the two days after as peak-alert days: stay indoors, close windows by evening, run purifiers on high, and reserve any outdoor celebrations for daytime hours when mixing is strongest.
Does the monsoon actually clean Anantapur's air?
Only partially. Anantapur's monsoon window averages AQI 57, which is a 16.2% change from the annual mean of 68. Rain does scrub particulates, but the improvement here is modest — pointing to persistent local sources (industry, traffic, dust) that rain cannot fully wash away.
Is Anantapur's worst season getting worse or better year-on-year?
Between 2022 and 2024, Anantapur's annual average AQI moved from 70 to 69 — a change of -1.4%. In the most recent year-on-year comparison, the winter season specifically improved by 28%. The long-run direction is roughly stable — underlying growth in emissions is being offset by cleaner technology or weather variability.
Which months are safest to visit Anantapur?
July is the single best month at AQI 56. Based on the 12-month averages, the three cleanest months in Anantapur are July (AQI 56), September (AQI 57), December (AQI 60). These are the safest choices for outdoor itineraries, long walks, open-air concerts and day-trips. Sensitive groups can treat these months as near-normal activity windows but should still check live AQI for the specific date. Avoid planning outdoor-heavy trips in February, when the baseline jumps into Moderate territory.
How does Anantapur's seasonal pattern compare to other Indian cities?
Anantapur is classified as flat year-round. Based on a 12-month cosine-similarity index computed across all monitored Indian cities, the city whose seasonal signature most closely resembles Anantapur's is Silchar (Assam), with its own worst month in February. Cities with similar signatures often respond to similar policy levers — if a neighbouring peer has demonstrated improvements through specific interventions (construction-dust controls, bus electrification, brick-kiln regulation), they are likely candidates for Anantapur too. The peer-city panel on this page lists the closest four additional matches.