Forecast First Alert: Poor air quality into Saturday evening

Here’s your Saturday afternoon forecast for July 15, 2023 from Minnesota’s Weather Authority and Meteorologist Matt Serwe.

A Forecast First Alert continues into Saturday evening for the southern half of Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin. This includes the Twin Cities metro. Air quality remains unhealthy for everyone.

Wildfire smoke returned Saturday, and continues to hang over the southern half of Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin. There is a cold front pushing across the states this evening. Northwest winds will push the smoky air farther south over the next few hours, with air quality finally improving after sunset. Until then, limit your time outside, especially if you have any chronic heart or lung issues. The smoke briefly returns to parts of southern Minnesota Sunday morning through the early afternoon, but this will likely stay south of the Twin Cities metro. Another wind shift will take care of the smoke Sunday evening into Monday.

Temperatures stay cooler than average as we start the new calendar week. Highs Sunday and Monday hold in the upper 70s to around 80°. With that wind shift on Sunday, there is a chance for isolated rain and t-showers in the afternoon. A quieter and warmer pattern moves in for the remainder of the week. Expect temperatures back near and above average, with very little rain.