Air quality alert for all of Minnesota through Saturday

Here comes the smoke again.

A new air quality alert has been issued Tuesday for all of Minnesota until 5 p.m. Saturday.

Air quality was good in southern Minnesota Tuesday but you can see the unhealthy readings gathering in the north.

Multiple waves of Canadian wildfire smoke will drift further southward across Minnesota for the next few days. NOAA’s HRRR model smoke output shows the trend.

Here are the details on the latest air quality alert for Minnesota from the MPCA.

Air quality alert issued due to wildfire smoke for Tuesday, July 29, through Saturday, Aug. 2, for all of Minnesota

Air quality is expected to reach the red AQI category in northern and central Minnesota, which is unhealthy for everyone. Air quality is expected to reach the orange AQI category in southern Minnesota, which is unhealthy for sensitive groups

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has issued an air quality alert for all of Minnesota. The alert takes effect 1 p.m. on Tuesday, July 29, and runs until 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 2. The affected area includes the Twin Cities metro area, Brainerd, Alexandria, Albert Lea, Marshall, Worthington, Rochester, Hinckley, St. Cloud, Winona, Ortonville, Mankato, Bemidji, East Grand Forks, Moorhead, International Falls, Two Harbors, Hibbing, Ely, Duluth, Roseau, and the Tribal Nations of Upper Sioux, Mille Lacs, Prairie Island, Leech Lake, White Earth, Red Lake, Grand Portage, and Fond du Lac.

Northerly winds will continue transporting waves of heavy surface smoke from wildfires across Manitoba and Saskatchewan into Minnesota. Smoke will move south across all of Minnesota and linger through Saturday afternoon. The smoke will be reinforced by an area of high pressure that will create light winds and limit the dispersion of smoke. Therefore the air quality alert has been expanded to include all of Minnesota and extended until Saturday afternoon when the air quality is forecasted to improve.

Fine particle levels are expected to reach the red air quality index (AQI) category, a level considered unhealthy for everyone, across west central, east central, central, south central, southeast, north central, northwest, southwest, and northeast Minnesota. This area includes the Twin Cities metro area, Brainerd, Alexandria, Hinckley, St. Cloud, Ortonville, Bemidji, East Grand Forks, Moorhead, International Falls, Two Harbors, Hibbing, Ely, Duluth, Roseau, and the Tribal Nations of Upper Sioux, Mille Lacs, Prairie Island, Leech Lake, White Earth, Red Lake, Grand Portage, and Fond du Lac. In the red area, sensitive groups should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion and limit time spent outdoors. Everyone should limit prolonged or heavy exertion and time spent outdoors.

Fine particle levels are expected to reach the orange AQI category, a level considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, across southwest, southeast, and south central Minnesota. This area includes Albert Lea, Marshall, Worthington, Rochester, Winona, and Mankato. In the orange area, sensitive groups should limit prolonged or heavy exertion and time spent outdoors.