Wildfire smoke extends air quality alert until Thursday night for southern Minnesota
NEXT Weather: Noon report for Minnesota from June 12, 2025
NEXT Weather: Noon report for Minnesota from June 12, 2025
NEXT Weather: Noon report for Minnesota from June 12, 2025
by Abby Madsen
An air quality alert for central and southern Minnesota continues from Wednesday into Thursday until 11 p.m.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says the area under the alert starts around Alexandria, Brainerd and Hinckley and extends south.
Smoke from Canadian wildfires has been moving into Minnesota behind a cold front, impacting air quality, making it unhealthy for sensitive groups. The alert for northern Minnesota has been canceled.
Rain is expected throughout Minnesota Thursday, with the possibility of reducing the smoke levels in the Twin Cities area. Ground-level smoke is expected to linger throughout Thursday and potentially into Friday and Saturday, with cleaner air moving into northern Minnesota starting Friday.
For sensitive groups, the air and pollution may affect anyone with cardiovascular and respiratory conditions. Symptoms may include chest pain, shortness of breath, coughing or fatigue.
Reducing outdoor physical activities and taking more breaks are a few ways to prevent these symptoms.
Wildfires are also still affecting northern Minnesota; The Jenkins Creek Fire, north of Duluth, Minnesota, which began on May 12, is 94% contained on Thursday.
Crews are continuing to work along Bundle Lake Road with drone units looking for any hotspots in the interior of the fire. For the past three days, there hasn't been smoke or heat located in the interior.
With a chance of storms moving into Minnesota Friday, they may pass over the fire area, relieving some of the vegetation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
2 hours ago
- CBS News
Air quality alert issued for central and southern N.J.
Another air quality alert has been issued for the Tri-State Area, this time for central and southern New Jersey. The alert will be in effect through 11 p.m. Friday. Here's what to know about the weekend forecast. Cooler with chance of showers today CBS News New York It sure was hot Thursday, with several locations hitting the 90-degree mark. While it will be cooler today, temperatures will be at seasonal levels, ranging from the upper 70s to lower 80s. A few spotty showers are possible, but overall, it's a mostly dry day, with a mix of sun and clouds. For tonight, showers move in, and they get steadier toward dawn. Will it rain on Father's Day? CBS News New York Those showers could last for most of the day on Saturday, continuing our unbreakable trend of having at least some rain on the weekends. Temperatures are going to be to be much cooler as well, likely not getting out of the 60s all weekend. Though Father's Day does not look as wet as Saturday, a few showers are still possible, as a stationary front lingers in our vicinity, leading to an unsettled pattern that could last into Monday. Rainfall totals over the next three days should average between .50-1". Flooding is not really a concern though. Along with the cool temperatures and rain, will come higher humidity levels through the period.
New York Times
3 hours ago
- New York Times
Forecasters Warn It May Rain on the Military Parade
As Washington, D.C., prepares to host a parade celebrating the U.S. Army's 250th birthday on Saturday, weather forecasters are warning of the potential for showers and thunderstorms that could disrupt the day's events, including a scheduled appearance by President Trump, whose 79th birthday coincides with the celebration. A significant number of demonstrations, from supporters and critics, are also expected across the country. For all involved, the weather may prove less celebratory, as forecasters noted some risk of severe storms in a region from Montana into Texas and of extreme heat in the South and Southwest. Across a wide section of the Eastern and Central United States, a slow-moving weather system is expected to keep conditions unsettled through the weekend, with showers and thunderstorms across portions of the Gulf Coast up through the Ohio Valley, the Mid-Atlantic States and the Northeast. While forecasters say widespread flooding is unlikely, downpours could cause localized flooding in some areas. The National Weather Service issued a broad 'marginal' risk for excessive rainfall on Saturday, the lowest level on its four-tier scale, for much of the eastern third of the country through the weekend. A slightly higher risk was forecast for parts of Kansas, Oklahoma and Virginia. . Forecast risk of excessive rain for Saturday Some Moderate High In the nation's capital, the likelihood of rain is high on Saturday. Conditions are expected to be cloudy and humid, with a high temperature of about 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Events on the National Mall are scheduled all day long, and the parade is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. A fireworks display is planned for three hours later. Forecast risk of unhealthy heat for Saturday Some Moderate High Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Gizmodo
3 hours ago
- Gizmodo
Alaska Just Issued Its First-Ever Heat Advisory—and It Won't Be the Last
The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Fairbanks, Alaska, issued a heat advisory on Thursday, June 12. It's never had to do that before. Heat advisories are new to both the Fairbanks and Juneau NWS offices, which implemented the use of these notices on June 2. Until now, Alaska weather officials exclusively issued Special Weather Statements to notify the public of potentially hazardous heat. The change comes as Alaska continues to warm at nearly twice the rate of the lower 48 states, with the statewide average annual air temperature increasing by 3 degrees Fahrenheit (1.67 degrees Celsius) over the last 60 years. From 1 p.m. AKDT Thursday to 7 p.m. Sunday, June 15, temperatures could climb as high as 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius) in the Salcha-Fairbanks metro area and the Tanana Flats, according to the advisory. 'Individuals and pets not accustomed to these unusually hot temperatures for this region may experience heat related concerns,' it warns. Fairbanks NWS officials also issued a flood watch on Thursday as they expect to see a surge of snowmelt that could increase the risk of river flooding. The threat includes river basins draining the Brooks Range across the Central Arctic Plains and Beaufort Sea Coast, and will remain in effect from Friday, June 13 to Tuesday, June 17. 'Rapid snowmelt and ice jams could lead to flooding of rivers and streams across the North Slope,' officials warned. 'Access to roads, airstrips, and low-lying infrastructure may be affected. High flows could lead to bank erosion that could threaten nearby roads.' On Thursday, the high in Fairbanks reached 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees Celsius), but meteorologists expect the weather to heat up heading into the weekend. Today's forecast calls for widespread haze across Alaska's interior—largely due to wildfire smoke from Canada—with temperatures rising to 82 degrees Fahrenheit (28 degrees Celsius). Though this end-of-week heat wave is unusual for Alaska, temperatures have climbed this high before. On July 22, 2024, for example, thermometers in Fairbanks read 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius), marking the highest temperature ever recorded on that date in Alaska. Americans in the Lower 48 states—especially those in the South—may shake their heads at the thought of issuing an advisory for temperatures in the mid-80s. But Alaskans are not as equipped to deal with excessive heat, according to The Cool Down. 'As Alaskans, we do not pass judgement on Lower 48 places that shut down with [two inches of] snow,' Brian Brettschneider, a climatologist at the NWS's Alaska Region Headquarters, posted on Bluesky late Thursday evening. 'Every place is built for its climate. Alaskan houses are built to retain heat and do not have air conditioning.' As multi-day temperature spikes become increasingly common in this state, the NWS is stepping up its messaging so that Alaskans can be prepared for the hazards of extreme heat. With summer only just beginning, this likely won't be the last time officials issue a heat advisory in the Last Frontier.
