Heat, Wildfires Spur Air Quality Advisory for Twin Cities Area

Hot temperatures and southwesterly winds carrying wildfire smoke are expected to produce poor air quality conditions across the Twin Cities metro area tomorrow.

On Tuesday, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency issued an air pollution health advisory due to forecasted increases in ozone pollution from noon until midnight on Wednesday.

The MPCA recommends that the elderly, children and anyone with pre-existing respiratory conditions postpone or reduce vigorous outdoor activity. Even people who are otherwise healthy may experience health effects, a news release issued by the MPCA said.

Exposure to high ozone levels has the potential to exacerbate health conditions by making it more difficult to breathe deeply and vigorously, cause short of breath or result in coughing and a sore throat, according to the MPCA.

Pollutant concentrations will be lowest in the morning, and will gradually increase in the afternoon and early evening. Conditions are expected to improve as increased wind speeds and cooler temperatures prevail on Thursday.