It could be a smoky weekend in Minnesota. Wildfires in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Canada have created air quality alerts throughout the state.
Meteorologist Melissa Dye with National Weather Service provides an update on the area most affected.
"Taking a look a satellite, smoke is blanketing pretty much the entire state into the eastern Dakotas," says Dye. "As far as where air quality seems to be the worst, it looks like that's more confined to northern Minnesota at the moment. But with the overnight hours into tomorrow, we are looking at some of that smoke potentially making it down to the surface across the rest of the state."
Dye said we'll definitely catch a whiff of the smoke in the Twin Cities and that is resulting in an Orange or "unhealthy for sensitive groups" category. Dye says the potential of severe weather at the start of next week should help.
"Oce we get that system through here, that's when we'll see the smoke finally be able to clear out."
The air quality is expected to improve slightly Saturday night before another round of smoke pours in Sunday morning.
AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CDT MONDAY
* WHAT...The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has issued an Air Quality Alert for fine particles pollution. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is expected to reach the Orange or Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups category.
* WHERE...All of Minnesota.
* WHEN...Through 6 PM CDT Monday.
* IMPACTS...Sensitive groups, such as people with lung disease (including asthma), heart disease, and children and older adults, may experience health effects.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...A cold front will continue to drag smoke from large wildfires in Manitoba and Saskatchewan southward into Minnesota. This will be a long duration event with multiple rounds of smoke expected. The highest concentration of smoke is expected Saturday afternoon. The air quality will improve slightly overnight Saturday before a second wave of smoke arrives Sunday morning. Air quality may improve Sunday evening before a third round of smoke arrives Monday. This air quality alert may need to be extended as additional waves of smoke will be possible.