Weather Alert in Minnesota
Air Quality Alert issued May 12 at 4:05PM CDT by NWS Duluth MN
AREAS AFFECTED: Koochiching; North Itasca; North Cass; South Itasca; South Cass; Crow Wing; Northern Aitkin; South Aitkin
DESCRIPTION: * WHAT...The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has issued an Air Quality Alert for ozone pollution. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is expected to reach the Orange or Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups category. * WHERE...West central, east central, central, south central, southwest, north central, and northwest Minnesota. * WHEN...From noon CDT to 9 PM CDT Tuesday. * IMPACTS...Sensitive groups, such as people with lung disease (including asthma), heart disease, children and older adults, and people who are active outdoors, may experience health effects. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Ground-level ozone is expected to be high once again during the afternoon hours on Tuesday across roughly the western two-thirds of Minnesota, including the Twin Cities Metro. Mostly sunny skies, warm temperatures and low humidity will provide a favorable environment for two types of pollutants (volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides) to react with sunlight in the air to produce ground-level ozone. Ozone will remain elevated on Wednesday as sunny skies, warm temperatures and dry conditions persist. This alert for ground level ozone is in addition to the air quality alert for wildfire smoke issued across portions of the Arrowhead.
INSTRUCTION: Sensitive groups, such as people with lung disease (including asthma), heart disease, children and older adults, and people who are active outdoors, should limit prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion. Reduce or eliminate activities that contribute to air pollution, such as outdoor burning, and use of residential wood burning devices. Reduce vehicle trips and vehicle idling as much as possible.
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Weather Topic: What is Graupel?
Home - Education - Precipitation - Graupel
Next Topic: Hail
Graupel is a form of precipitation that is created by atmospheric conditions
which cause supercooled water droplets to contact snow crystals and freeze to
their surface.
Sometimes known as soft hail or snow pellets, graupel is delicate and easily
destroyed by touch. Whereas hail usually falls during severe weather, graupel
doesn't require such conditions to form, and can form in mild precipitation
similar to situations which produce snowfall.
Next Topic: Hail
Weather Topic: What are Hole Punch Clouds?
Home - Education - Cloud Types - Hole Punch Clouds
Next Topic: Mammatus Clouds
A hole punch cloud is an unusual occurrence when a disk-shaped
hole appears in a cirrostratus, cirrocumulus, or altocumulus cloud.
When part of the cloud forms ice crystals, water droplets in the surrounding area
of the cloud evaporate. The effect of this process produces a large elliptical
gap in the cloud. The hole punch cloud formation is rare, but it is not specific
to any geographic area.
Other names which have been used to describe this phenomena include fallstreak hole,
skypunch, and cloud hole.
Next Topic: Mammatus Clouds
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