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Seoni is situated in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, positioned at coordinates 22.0800°N, 79.5400°E within the Satpura Range foothills. This location places the city approximately 600 meters above sea level, giving it a moderate elevation that influences local climate patterns and pollution dispersion. The urban area of Seoni, with its population of 95,000, represents a transitional zone between the dense forests of the Satpura Mountains to the south and the agricultural plains extending northward toward the Narmada River valley. This urban-rural gradient is crucial to understanding air quality dynamics, as Seoni serves as an administrative and commercial hub surrounded by extensive agricultural lands where practices like crop residue burning directly impact atmospheric conditions. The city's proximity to Pench National Park and Tiger Reserve to the northeast creates a unique interface where forest fire smoke can drift into urban areas during dry seasons. While no major industrial belts exist immediately around Seoni, the city lies along important transportation corridors connecting Nagpur to the southeast and Jabalpur to the northeast, making vehicle emissions and road dust significant contributors to local pollution. The terrain consists of undulating hills and plateaus with seasonal streams rather than permanent water bodies, meaning there's limited natural cleansing of airborne particulates through precipitation or water-based deposition mechanisms. This geographical setting creates a basin-like effect where pollutants can accumulate, particularly during the cooler months when temperature inversions trap emissions close to the ground.

Seoni's tropical wet-and-dry climate creates distinct seasonal patterns in air quality that residents and visitors must navigate carefully. During winter months from November through February, pollution reaches its peak due to multiple converging factors: agricultural burning after the kharif harvest releases massive particulate plumes, domestic biomass burning for heating increases, and frequent temperature inversions trap pollutants in the lower atmosphere. These months also experience fog formation that combines with smoke to create hazardous smog conditions, making outdoor activities particularly risky for children, elderly residents, and those with respiratory conditions. The post-monsoon period from October brings gradually deteriorating air quality as winds weaken and atmospheric mixing decreases. From March through May, extreme heat dominates with temperatures often exceeding 40°C, creating photochemical reactions that can generate secondary pollutants, though occasional thunderstorms provide temporary cleansing. The southwest monsoon from June to September brings dramatic improvement as heavy rainfall scrubs the atmosphere and winds disperse accumulated pollutants, making this the healthiest period for outdoor activities. However, the transition months of October and March present variable conditions where sudden pollution spikes can occur from forest fires or agricultural burning. Sensitive groups should monitor local air quality reports daily during peak pollution months, limit outdoor exertion during morning and evening inversion periods, and consider using air purifiers indoors. The monsoon months offer the safest window for outdoor exercise and activities, though thunderstorms present their own lightning and flooding hazards.