Wildfire smoke and storms are the theme for Minnesota’s weather on Sunday.
The air in Minneapolis at 7 a.m. had an AQI (air quality index) of 195, which is in the red zone on the air quality index. That means the air is unhealthy and people — especially anyone with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teens — should considering limiting time outdoors and moving strenuous activities inside.
The air quality is expected to remain poor over Minnesota and much of Wisconsin until Monday, though winds are expected to shove the surface smoke further northeast by Sunday afternoon.
Sunday’s storm potential
NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has placed a chunk of Minnesota, from Marshall to Minneapolis, St. Cloud and Duluth, in marginal risk for severe storms. A marginal risk is level 1 of 5 on the severe scale.
“The northwest flow setup will yield favorable hodograph structure for potential discrete supercells and large hail production,” the Storm Prediction Center says. “Isolated large hail/severe gusts from a few widely spaced supercells seem plausible from late afternoon until around sunset.”…