Seniors, kids cautioned as air pollution rises in SW Minnesota

Elevated pollution levels in parts of southwest and south central Minnesota will make the air unhealthy for sensitive groups through Wednesday morning, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says.

"Fine particle pollution" at 11 a.m. Tuesday reached a level unhealthy for people including children, the elderly, those with cardiovascular or respiratory disease and those whose work requires heavy exertion outside, the MPCA said.

The affected area covers a diagonal band which includes Marshall, Redwood Falls, New Ulm and Hutchinson, the agency said in a statement.

The MPCA hasn't analyzed the fine particles in its monitoring stations, but dust from farm harvests could be a possible contributor, agency spokesperson Forrest Peterson said.

Conditions are likely to improve overnight Tuesday, when a cold front with increased wind speeds and precipitation is expected to disperse the pollution, the MPCA added.