Severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings issued for Twin Cities metro area

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The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is calling it an unprecedented long-duration air quality event. The thick plume of Canadian wildfire smoke will persist across Minnesota through this weekend.

MPCA has extended the air quality alert for all of Minnesota through 3 p.m. Tuesday. Air quality will be in the very unhealthy range (purple on the map) for much of Minnesota through the weekend. Details from the MPCA:

Air quality improved slightly across much of Minnesota Friday from the record levels recorded Thursday. It has been 

 in northeastern Minnesota, to very unhealthy in the west. 

The Twin Cities air quality index for particulate matter read 153 at 1 p.m., which is in the unhealthy range. 

Thick smoke is still swishing around in slowly shifting winds across Minnesota. 

A northerly wind flow this weekend will reinforce the persistent smoke plume as more smoke from the fires drifts south from Canada. 

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has extended the air quality alert for all of Minnesota through 3 p.m. Tuesday as smoke from Canadian fires persists. Air quality will be “very unhealthy” for much of the state, including the Twin Cities, through the weekend. 

'Unprecedented': MN air quality 'very unhealthy' into next week

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