Blizzard warnings in Northwest Minnesota, winter weather advisories across the state

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Another batch of Canadian wildfire smoke will drift across Minnesota this weekend. 

Air quality Friday afternoon was in the very unhealthy (purple) range across the Red River Valley. Thicker smoke is spreading southeast across northern and central Minnesota behind the cold front. 

It looks like we’ll see two waves of smoke dive across Minnesota this weekend. 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s High-Resolution Rapid Refresh model smoke output shows the two waves moving across our region. The forecast model loop below runs between 4 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Sunday. 

Here are the details on the air quality alert for Minnesota this weekend:

Saturday will produce the worst air quality this weekend, especially in northern Minnesota.

Air quality should begin to improve from west to east across Minnesota Sunday afternoon.

Here’s the detailed forecast discussion from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency:

Highs this weekend will run mostly in the 70s Saturday but will reach the 80s across much of Minnesota Sunday.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

An air quality alert runs into Monday morning of Minnesota. There’s also an air quality alert for Wisconsin this weekend. 

Air quality alert this weekend for all of Minnesota and Wisconsin

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