Panchkula's air quality has significantly deteriorated, reaching an AQI of 363 and ranking it as the fifth most polluted city in North India. This places it in the 'very poor' category, with Ghaziabad, Noida, Delhi, and Greater Noida also experiencing high pollution levels. Experts attribute the surge to cold weather, low wind speeds, temperature inversion, lack of rain, and increased year-end vehicular traffic trapping pollutants near the ground.