Air quality alert affecting northern half of Minnesota expanded to include Twin Cities
MINNEAPOLIS -- An air quality alert previously in effect for the northern half of Minnesota has been expanded to include the Twin Cities as well.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency announced the expansion Sunday afternoon. The alert will be in effect in the Twin Cities until 6 a.m. Monday, while the original area -- which covers communities north of St. Cloud, except for a sliver of western Minnesota -- will be affected until 6 p.m. Monday.
The alert was prompted by smoke from Canadian wildfires. Air quality in the affected areas is expected to reach the orange category, which means the air quality will be unhealthy for sensitive groups, including those with heart or lung conditions, the elderly and the very young. The MPCA recommends those in the sensitive groups limit their time outside.
After the air quality improves Monday, dangerous temperatures will arrive, with highs in the 90s all week and the heat index possibly reaching triple digits by midweek.
