Air quality alert issued for northwest Minnesota until 10 pm Tuesday.

The latest air quality alert this season has been issued for much of northwest Minnesota. It’s the record 25th air quality alert issued for parts of Minnesota this year.

A fresh northwest breeze brought improved air quality to much of Minnesota Sunday. But wildfire smoke from Canada lingers across parts of northwest Minnesota.

The latest air quality alert (map at the top of this post) includes the Red River Valley area and much of northwest Minnesota.

Here are the alert details from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has issued an air quality alert for northwestern and far west central Minnesota due to wildfire smoke. The alert is effective through 10 p.m. Tuesday, July 18. The affected area includes East Grand Forks, Moorhead, Roseau, Thief River Falls, Bemidji, Crookston, Detroit Lakes, Fergus Falls, and Ortonville as well as the tribal nations of Leech Lake and Red Lake.

Smoke from wildfires in Quebec has cycled around a very large low-pressure system near Hudson Bay and has looped around into northwestern Minn. Smoke will continue to move south along the Red River Valley and will linger across northwestern and west central Minn. through Tuesday night. The smoke will be slow to dissipate, and the alert may need to be locally extended depending on how fast the smoke dissipates on Tuesday.

Fine particle levels are expected to reach the orange air quality index (AQI) category, a level considered unhealthy for sensitive groups. In the orange area, sensitive groups should limit prolonged or heavy exertion and time spent outdoors.

NOAA’s RAP near-surface smoke model image for noon Tuesday shows a smoke plume in southern Canada and parts of northwest Minnesota.

Here’s the latest available forecast discussion for MInnesota from the meteorologists at MPCA.

Updated Mon, Jul 17, 2023

Smoke will move into northwestern MN overnight. Conditions are forecasted to remain at the top of the Yellow (Moderate) category statewide Monday - Wednesday. Some hours of Orange (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups) will be possible in NW MN and the Red River Valley as the smoke pivots through but right now the thinking is that it will be just below air quality alert threshold. With some scant smoke near the surface those days the ozone process may also be extra vigorous so included Yellow (Moderate) ozone statewide as well despite guidance being lower.