* 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 Maroon or Hazardous category.
* WHERE…Northwest Minnesota.
* WHEN…Until 4 AM CDT Tuesday.
* IMPACTS…Everyone is very likely to be affected. Minor ashfall is
possible due to the dense smoke.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…A band of very heavy ground-level smoke from
Canadian wildfires has moved into northwest Minnesota Monday morning
behind a cold front. This smoke will continue to follow behind the
cold front as it moves southeast on Monday. Air quality is expected
to reach the Maroon AQI category for far northwest Minnesota.
Visibility will be very low and light ashfall is possible.
Precipitation is expected across northwest Minnesota Monday afternoon
but may not help improve air quality much. Smoke will clear northwest
Minnesota early Tuesday morning and air quality will begin to improve
below the alert threshold.