Worst daily Air Quality Index (AQI) for the Twin Cities

Air Quality Alerts are in place now through Friday morning for the Twin Cities, all of the state of Minnesota and western Wisconsin. This is the worst air quality we’ve since record began for air quality in 1980. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says that our previous record high daily AQI (which is averaged over 24 hours) was 130, and TODAY we reached at least 170 (as I write this tonight, which will likely be an average of 175 by midnight). Nearly all of Minnesota’s Air Quality Index has unhealthy air to very unhealthy category.

Please take these air quality alerts seriously and limit your exposure to these pollutants that can easily embed into your lung tissues an cause health problems. Extended activities outdoors should be cancelled tonight and tomorrow.

The heat we have had also increased the chemical reactions that lead to ground level ozone forming, which further reduces our air quality. This airmass we have in place doesn’t mix out or change considerably until Friday into the weekend, so we will contend with hazy until Friday am.