NEXT Weather Alert: Severe weather possible Tuesday, with air quality alert in NW Minn.
NEXT Weather factors:
- Serious heat Monday and Tuesday
- Air quality alert for NW Minnesota Tuesday-Wednesday morning
- Potentially severe storms are possible Tuesday afternoon into the evening
MINNEAPOLIS -- A NEXT Weather Alert is in place again Tuesday due to serious heat. Air quality is also expected to worsen Tuesday in northwestern Minnesota.
The 2023 Minnesota State Fair is going down as the driest 12-day fair on record, with only a trace of rain recorded throughout the run.
At 2:48 pm we tied the record high for today (Sept. 4th) set in 1925. We'll likely beat this record high before the day is over; 100° isn't out of the question. If we get there, it'll only be the 2nd time that's happened during the month of Sept. in the Twin Cities #MNwx pic.twitter.com/lELcmxBGE6
— Mike Augustyniak (@MikeAugustyniak) September 4, 2023
The week ahead
Tuesday will be cooler, but only slightly so, with highs in the lower 90s. A heat advisory remains in effect in the metro, southeastern Minnesota and some communities up north until 5 p.m. Tuesday.
On Monday, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency announced an air quality alert due to Canadian wildfire smoke will be in effect from 6 a.m. Tuesday through 9 a.m. Wednesday in northwestern Minnesota. The affected areas include Alexandria, Ortonville, Bemidji, East Grand Forks, Moorhead, Roseau, and the tribal nations of Leech Lake and Red Lake.
It's an orange-level alert, indicating the air will be unhealthy for sensitive groups.
An Air Quality Alert has been issued for northwest MN. More info at https://t.co/pOpywrxYPa.#mnwx #aqi pic.twitter.com/PC0tkJPhpd
— MN Air Quality Index (@mpca_aqi) September 4, 2023
Storms are possible Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. There is a slight risk of severe storms for all but northwestern Minnesota, with central Minnesota and eastern Minnesota seeing more risk, including the Twin Cities.
Then a massive cooldown arrives, as Wednesday will be up to 25 degrees cooler, and feeling even cooler than that with the cloud cover and an expected breeze. Highs will be in the lower 70s on Wednesday and Thursday before climbing into the mid to upper 70s for the weekend.
Augustyniak said the rest of the week looks pleasant, with a possible #Top10WxDay for Friday. Showers are possible by Sunday, and we'll need them. Much of the state is in severe to extreme drought as of the latest report.