Weekend forecast: Thunderstorm chances return!

I’ll get to the weekend forecast in a moment, but I first want to mention the air quality alert that continues in the orange-shaded portions of Minnesota today through 9 p.m. Friday:

Here are details of the air-quality alert, from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency:

A cold front will push across northwestern Minnesota Thursday. Behind this cold front northwestern winds will transport smoke from fires burning in southern Canada south across northern Minnesota.

Fine particle levels are expected to reach the Red AQI category, a level considered unhealthy for everyone, across far northern Minnesota today. This area includes Roseau, Baudette, and International Falls, and the tribal nation of Red Lake.

Fine particle levels are expected to reach the Orange AQI category, a level that is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, for north central, west central, and northwest Minnesota today. This area includes East Grand Forks, Moorhead, Detroit Lakes, Bemidji, Brainerd, Ortonville, Alexandria, and St. Cloud, and the tribal nations of Leech Lake and Mille Lacs.

People whose health is affected by unhealthy air quality

People who are more likely to be affected when fine particle pollution reaches an unhealthy level include:

• Those with asthma or other breathing conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

• People who have heart disease or high blood pressure

• Children and older adults

• People of all ages who are doing extended or heavy, physical activity like playing sports or working outdoors

• People who don’t have air conditioning to reduce indoor air pollution

Health effects

Air pollution can aggravate heart and cardiovascular disease as well as lung diseases like asthma and COPD. When the air quality is unhealthy, people with these conditions may experience symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, or fatigue. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, use your inhalers as directed and contact your health care provider.

In areas where air quality is in the Red (Unhealthy) AQI category, sensitive individuals may experience increased aggravation of heart or lung disease and respiratory conditions. The general population may also experience increased respiratory effects.

In areas where air quality is in the Orange (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups) AQI category, sensitive individuals may experience aggravation of heart or lung disease and increasing likelihood of respiratory conditions.

Take precautions

• Take it easy and listen to your body.

• Limit, change, or postpone your physical activity.

• If possible, stay away from local sources of air pollution like busy roads and wood fires.

• If you have asthma, or other breathing conditions like COPD, make sure you have your relief/rescue inhaler with you.

• People with asthma should review and follow guidance in their written asthma action plan. Make an appointment to see your health provider if you don’t have an asthma action plan.

In areas where air quality is in the Red (Unhealthy) AQI category, sensitive individuals should avoid prolonged exertion. Everyone else should limit prolonged exertion.

In areas where air quality is in the Orange (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups) AQI category, sensitive individuals should limit prolonged exertion.

Drought worsens in Minnesota

The latest U.S. Drought Monitor report shows that almost seventy-nine percent of Minnesota is in either extreme drought (shaded red) or severe drought (shaded orange):

Thirty-five percent of Minnesota is in extreme drought. That’s up from twenty-two percent last week. Ninety-seven percent of Minnesota is in some category of drought right now, compared to just eight percent one year ago.

The data cutoff for the drought report is 7 a.m. on Tuesday, so any rainfall since that time is not included in the report.

The National Weather Service notes that rainfall across much of Minnesota has been between 4 and 8 inches below normal since June 1:

Weekend thunderstorm opportunities

A slow-moving low pressure system is expected to bring us some periods of showers and thunderstorms this weekend.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North American Mesoscale (NAM) forecast model shows the potential rain pattern Saturday through Sunday morning:

Don’t pay too much attention to the exact location of the rain at any point in the loop, just enjoy this rare (in recent weeks) opportunity for much-needed rain.

You can hear updated weather information for Minnesota and western Wisconsin on the Minnesota Public Radio network, and you can see updated weather info on the MPR News live weather blog.

Severe weather potential

The NWS Storm Prediction Center shows a slight risk (shaded yellow) of severe weather Saturday and Saturday night for portions of Minnesota and Wisconsin:

Slight risk means that scattered severe thunderstorms are possible. An isolated severe thunderstorm is possible Saturday and Saturday night in the marginal risk area, which is shaded dark green.

Weekend temps and dew points

Our average Twin Cities high temp is 82 degrees on Aug. 7. We’ll probably reach the mid 80s Saturday afternoon, sharing 80s with much of Minnesota:

There’ll be some 70s in north-central and northeastern Minnesota.

Saturday dew points will be mainly in the sticky 60s, with some spots topping 70 in the south:

Sunday highs will be mainly in the 80s, with some 70s in northeastern Minnesota:

Sunday dew points will be mainly in the sticky 60s, with some spots in the south topping 70:

Programming note

You can hear my live weather updates on MPR News at 7:35 a.m., 9:35 a.m. and 4:39 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.