Very unhealthy air; relief Thursday for northern Minnesota

Updated 6:49 p.m.

Our air quality in Minnesota went from bad to worse Wednesday.

Practically speaking, a smoke front rolled southward through Minnesota Wednesday. As of this post, the thickest part of the Canadian wildfire smoke plume blankets most of central and southern Minnesota. That smoke plume has reached ground level, where we breathe.

Air quality readings Wednesday afternoon have spiked into the very unhealthy category in much of central Minnesota including St. Cloud and the Twin Cities.

Here are some select AQI index readings as of late Wednesday afternoon.

• Minneapolis 243

• St. Paul 241

• St. Michael 224

• St. Cloud 207

  

Here’s the latest air quality alert info from Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, via the Twin Cities National Weather Service office:

Including the cities of Albert Lea, Alexandria, Apple Valley, Blaine, Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Buffalo, Burnsville, Eagan, Eden Prairie, Farmington, Hastings, Mankato, Maple Grove, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, Northfield, Plymouth, Prior Lake, Ramsey, Rogers, Rosemount, Roseville, Shakopee, St. Cloud, St. Louis Park, St. Paul, Stillwater, Waconia, White Bear Lake, and Woodbury

135 PM CDT Wed Jun 14 2023

...AIR QUALITY ALERT NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH 6 AM CDT FRIDAY...

* WHAT...The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has expanded the Air Quality Alert for fine particle pollution. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is expected to reach the Red or Unhealthy category.

* WHERE...Central and southern Minnesota.

* WHEN...Through 6 AM CDT Friday.

* IMPACTS...Some members of the general public may experience health effects. 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 Canadian wildfires has settled across central Minnesota this afternoon. AQI observations are in in the Red (Unhealthy for Everybody) category across the alert area and will continue to be until at least Thursday morning. Smoke will gradually dissipate across the area Thursday - but may be slower to clear in the Minnesota and Mississippi River Valleys. Therefore the alert has been extended until Friday morning.

The smoke plume will gradually dissipate later Thursday into Friday as cleaner air blows in across the Great Lakes from the northeast.

The latest Minnesota Pollution Control Agency forecast shows air quality improving overnight into Thursday across northern Minnesota. The alert will likely be removed for the northern half of the state, the agency said, adding heavy smoke will continue to linger over southern Minnesota.

Expect air quality to improve statewide by Friday.