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Minnesota Weather: 'Unprecedented' Statewide Air Quality Alert Continues

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Minnesota will stay under an alert for "unprecedented" poor air quality for at least another day, as Canadian wildfire smoke continues to pour into the state.

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The National Weather Service says there was a clearing trend in the state Sunday, leading to "greatly improved" air quality, but more smoke from wildfires in Ontario and Manitoba will start passing through the state again Sunday night.

Smoky Hazy Poor Air Quality Paddleboarders
(credit: CBS)

Most of Minnesota is under an Orange-level risk, meaning the air is unhealthy for sensitive groups, although people in far northern and far western Minnesota are still under a Red-level risk, with air that's unhealthy for all.

The statewide alert will stay in effect for at least another day, with its expiration expected by Tuesday afternoon.

GMAL July Smoke
(credit: NASA/JPL)

The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory released an animation Sunday that shows how wildfires raged in parts of Canada and the United States throughout July, with winds whipping around hazardous smoke across the country -- which reached New York City towards the end of the month.

WCCO meteorologist Lisa Meadows says temperatures were back to average Sunday in the Twin Cities, but they'll climb back to the upper 80s and possibly 90s by midweek or towards the weekend. Rain chances still aren't looking great, but the metro could see isolated storms Wednesday night into Thursday, and there's another chance for the weekend.

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