Air pollution alert expanded in eastern Minn.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has expanded its air pollution advisory and has now put the eastern two-thirds of the state under an air pollution health alert.

Air quality is considered unhealthy in that area for sensitive groups, including the elderly, children, people with cardiovascular or respiratory disease, and people engaged in strenuous activity.

Strong temperature inversions, snow melt, and fog are trapping fine particle pollution near the surface across much of the state Friday. But air quality conditions are expected to improve from west to east by Friday evening as a slow-moving frontal system passes over Minnesota.

The MPCA has already canceled an air pollution health alert it issued Thursday for western Minnesota because cleaner air has moved into the region.