Welcome back Canadian smoke. You weren't missed.
Another Air Quality Alert has been issued a large portion of the state until 11:00 p.m. Thursday for much of central and southern Minnesota.
The affected area includes the Twin Cities metro area, Brainerd, Alexandria, Albert Lea, Marshall, Worthington, Hinckley, St. Cloud, Ortonville, Mankato, Moorhead, Duluth, and the Tribal Nations of Upper Sioux, Mille Lacs, Prairie Island, Leech Lake, and Fond du Lac.
The alert is on the lower end of the spectrum. It's orange or "unhealthy for sensitive groups." That's far from as bad as it got just over a week ago when a "hazardous" air quality alert was called for the first time in state history.
Smoke from wildfires in northwest Canada has moved into central and southern Minnesota behind a cold front.
Rainfall is expected across this same region through Thursday and this may help reduce smoke levels in some areas. However, it's possible this smoke may linger through the end of the day on Thursday despite that rain.
AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM CDT THURSDAY
* 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...Central and southern Minnesota.
* WHEN...Until 11 PM CDT Thursday.
* IMPACTS...Sensitive groups, such as people with lung disease (including asthma), heart disease, and children and older adults, may experience health effects.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Smoke from wildfires in northwest Canada has moved into central and southern Minnesota behind a cold front. This smoke is beginning to mix to the ground and fine particle levels have climbed into the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups AQI category across central and southern Minnesota. This smoke will linger along a frontal boundary that will stall over the southern part of the state. Rainfall is expected across this same region through Thursday and this may help reduce smoke levels in some areas. However, it`s possible this smoke may linger through the end of the day on Thursday.