Smoky skies with hot, dry weather ahead
Several 90 degree days ahead
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Wildfire smoke is creating haze and occasionally unhealthy air across Minnesota Friday. It will be warmer and breezy Friday afternoon but hot by Saturday with highs well into the 90s for many.
Smoky skies
Smoke is creating moderate air quality (yellow category) nearly statewide Friday morning with readings occasionally in the unhealthy for sensitive groups (orange) category.
An air quality alert remains through late Friday evening for most of central and northern Minnesota into western Wisconsin.
Check the latest air quality conditions, alerts and forecasts here:
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Heating up
Friday will see high temperatures closer to normal, though slightly above for most.
This comes after a cool morning across most of the state after Thursday saw statewide high temperatures in the 70s, slightly below normal. Lows on the Iron Range were in the upper 30s to low 40s early Friday.
The heat really blasts in for Saturday with widespread highs in the mid 90s for central and southern Minnesota with some west central locations reaching the upper 90s.
Dew points will be in the 60s to even near 70 Saturday afternoon.
Those dew points could push the heat index values into triple digits Saturday afternoon for some.
A weak cool front will drop dew points and temperatures some Sunday, back into the 80s south and 70s north. Unfortunately, the front will pass through without touching off any rain.
Next week will see temperatures soar back into the 90s by Tuesday, possibly even Monday into Thursday. The pattern looks to remain dry as well.