Air quality alert early Monday; scattered showers and thunder possible

Cooler, drier air moves in by midweek

aq alert
Air quality alert through 9 a.m. Monday
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

An air quality alert is in effect through 9 a.m. for portions of east-central and southeastern Minnesota. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are possible Monday and Tuesday before cooler air moves in.

Air quality alert through 9 a.m. Monday

An air quality alert is in effect through 9 a.m. Monday due to ozone and wildfire smoke coming from eastern Canada.

aq alert
Air quality alert through 9 a.m. Monday
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Our upper-level high-pressure area’s been making things hot, and drying out first western Canada and then eastern Canada, sparking more wildfires in Quebec and Newfoundland. Smoke has been rotating in from the northeast clockwise around this upper high.

sat 500 hts
Smoke is visible moving out of eastern Canada into Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota is this satellite image from Sunday afternoon.
College of DuPage weather lab

Check the latest air quality conditions and forecasts here:

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Here are air quality forecasts for the next couple of days:

Scattered showers, thunder ahead of cooler air

Cooler, drier air is slowly moving across Minnesota Monday and Tuesday and it will help to touch off some scattered showers and thunderstorms on Monday and Tuesday.

precip Mon-Tue
Forecast precipitation 5 a.m. Monday through 1 p.m. Tuesday
College of DuPage weather lab

Highs will still be very warm Monday ranging from 90 west to the 80s for most except the North Shore.

mon hi
Forecast highs Monday
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, via Pivotal Weather

By Wednesday, it will be much cooler and more comfortable as dew points drop from the sticky 60s to the dry 40s.

wed hi
Forecast highs Wednesday
NOAA, via Pivotal Weather

The next chance of some rain and thunder moves in Saturday.