Hazy, smoky skies this week due to Canadian wildfires

Wildfires continue to rage across Canada with the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, Inc. reporting at least 900 are burning as of Tuesday morning.

Smoke from those wildfires continue to drift south into Minnesota and much of the Upper Midwest due to northerly winds.

The smoke is expected to mostly stay in the upper atmosphere leading to a hazy sky, however as a cold front sinks south into the area on Tuesday, some of that smoke may mix down to the surface.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has a Moderate (yellow) AQI for all of the Weather First area on Tuesday which means air pollution levels are elevated and may cause health effects for people who are vulnerable to air pollution.

High pressure will settle in on Wednesday with a northeast wind developing likely thinning out the smoke and keeping most of it further west.

However, the weather pattern will begin to shift on Thursday with warm and humid air moving into the state from the west with light smoke likely persisting leading to more hazy skies.