Extreme heat warning in effect through Sunday

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Canadian wildfire smoke is getting thicker across much of northern Minnesota Tuesday. 

Air quality has reached “very unhealthy” levels in Brainerd and much of north-central Minnesota Tuesday afternoon according to monitors from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. I’m not sure if it’s a record but I have never seen a particulate reading as high as the 301 ppm observed in Brainerd today on the map above. 

A weak cool front sliding south is bringing cooler temperatures to northern Minnesota. It’s also pushing wildfire smoke from dozens of Canadian wildfires further south into Minnesota. The 

latest air quality alert includes the Twin Cities until 6 a.m. Thursday.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s HRRR model vertically integrated smoke product forecast continues to show thick plumes of smoke drifting southeast across Minnesota and the Upper Midwest through tonight into Wednesday.

The entire state of Wisconsin is also under an air quality alert for smoke. 

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

Northerly wind flow has pushed Canadian wildfire smoke further southward into Minnesota. 

Dan Kraker | MPR News

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

NOAA HRRR model vertically integrated smoke product 

'Very unhealthy': Thick smoke; air quality alert includes Twin Cities until 6 a.m. Thursday

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