Areas of smoke on Monday; temps rebound Tuesday and Wednesday

Update on air quality alert for Minnesota

Our air quality was good in most of eastern Minnesota Sunday afternoon, with moderate air quality to the west. Western Minnesota did have a few areas where the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency reported air in the orange (unhealthy for sensitive groups) or red (unhealthy) category at times.

Smoke is expected to return to much of Minnesota as we go through Sunday night. The smoke is expected to linger into Monday and possibly Tuesday.

Here’s the Sunday afternoon air quality update from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency:

Here’s more info about air quality, from the MPCA:

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People whose health is affected by unhealthy air quality

People who are more likely to be affected when fine particle pollution reaches an unhealthy level include:

  • Those with asthma or other breathing conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

  • People who have heart disease or high blood pressure

  • Children and older adults

  • Those doing heavy, physical activity outdoors, such playing sports or working, especially for extended periods

Health effects

Air pollution can aggravate heart and cardiovascular disease as well as lung diseases like asthma and COPD. When the air quality is unhealthy, people with these conditions may experience symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, or fatigue. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, use your inhalers as directed and contact your health care provider.

Take precautions

  • Take it easy and listen to your body.

  • Limit, change, or postpone your physical activity.

  • If possible, stay away from local sources of air pollution like busy roads and wood fires.

  • If you have asthma, or other breathing conditions like COPD, make sure you have your relief/rescue inhaler with you.

  • People with asthma should review and follow guidance in their written asthma action plan. Make an appointment to see your health provider if you don’t have an asthma action plan.

Current Minnesota air quality readings can be found here.

You can hear updated weather information for Minnesota and western Wisconsin on the Minnesota Public Radio network, and you can see updated weather info on the MPR News live weather blog.

Temperature trends

The Sunday high temp at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport was 81 degrees, which is slightly cooler than our average August 1 high of 83. The metro area will see highs in the lower 80s on Monday. Highs in the 80s are expected across most of Minnesota Monday afternoon:

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Monday forecast highs
National Weather Service

Dew points will be in the comfortable lower 50s:

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Monday 1 p.m. forecast dew points
National Weather Service

Back to high temps, Twin Cities highs are projected to reach the mid 80s Tuesday, then upper 80s on Wednesday. Our highs retreat to the mid 80s Thursday then hit around 90 on Friday.

Above-normal temps are likely next weekend and into the beginning of the following week. The NWS Climate Prediction Center shows a strong signal for above-normal temps in Minnesota and Wisconsin from August 7 through August 11:

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Temperature outlook August 7 through August 11
NWS Climate Prediction Center

Searching for rain

Monday and Tuesday look rain-free in most of Minnesota. Scattered shower and thunderstorm chances show up in some forecast models by Wednesday night and Thursday. We could also see some scattered showers and thunderstorms Friday night and Saturday. Check forecast updates.

Programming note

You can hear my live weather updates on MPR News at 7:35 a.m., 9:35 a.m. and 4:39 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.