Duluth, Minnesota – A stretch of cooler, drier weather is settling over northern Minnesota, but it comes with a catch: surface smoke is returning, triggering air quality concerns through the weekend.
According to the National Weather Service in Duluth, an Air Quality Alert remains in effect for all of northern Minnesota through Saturday evening, and for northwest Wisconsin through Thursday morning. While no rain is expected until Sunday, smoke from wildfires may periodically degrade air conditions at the surface, posing a health risk, particularly for children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions.
Temperatures will remain seasonal, ranging from mid-60s to low 70s across the region, with minimal humidity and calm winds. Visibility could be reduced in hazier areas, and residents are urged to limit prolonged outdoor activity, especially during early mornings and evenings when smoke may settle.
Communities across the Iron Range, Duluth, Grand Rapids, and the North Shore should monitor air quality levels via the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and be ready to use indoor air filters or relocate sensitive activities indoors.
Air quality concerns may ease by Sunday, when rain and thunderstorms are expected to return across the region.
