Weather Alert in Minnesota
Air Quality Alert issued July 11 at 3:00PM CDT by NWS La Crosse WI
AREAS AFFECTED: Wabasha; Dodge; Olmsted; Winona; Mower; Fillmore; Houston
DESCRIPTION: * WHAT...The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has issued an Air Quality Alert for fine particles pollution. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is expected to reach the Red or Unhealthy category. * WHERE...Southeast Minnesota. * WHEN...Until 9 AM CDT Monday. * IMPACTS...Some members of the general public may experience health effects. Sensitive groups, such as people with lung disease (including asthma), heart disease, and children and older adults, may experience health effects. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Heavy ground-level smoke from wildfires in central Canada moved into northwest Minnesota early Friday morning behind a cold front. This first band of smoke is currently impacting northern Minnesota as it moves east during the day Friday. Air quality will worsen across northeast Minnesota Friday evening as smoke arrives over the region. A second round of smoke will move into northwest Minnesota late Friday evening. This smoke will be more widespread as it moves southeast overnight, and by Saturday afternoon the entire state may be impacted. The heaviest smoke on Saturday will be across the northern half of the state. Air quality will begin to improve across western Minnesota Sunday morning as cleaner air moves in from the west. By Sunday evening, the smoke should be gone from most of the state. Another round of smoke is possible across far northern Minnesota Sunday night.
INSTRUCTION: Sensitive groups, such as people with lung disease (including asthma), heart disease, and children and older adults, should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion. The general public should limit prolonged or heavy 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. Keep windows closed overnight to prevent smoke from getting indoors.
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Weather Topic: What is Rain?
Home - Education - Precipitation - Rain
Next Topic: Shelf Clouds
Precipitation in the form of water droplets is called rain.
Rain generally has a tendency to fall with less intensity over a greater period
of time, and when rainfall is more severe it is usually less sustained.
Rain is the most common form of precipitation and happens with greater frequency
depending on the season and regional influences. Cities have been shown to have
an observable effect on rainfall, due to an effect called the urban heat island.
Compared to upwind, monthly rainfall between twenty and forty miles downwind of
cities is 30% greater.
Next Topic: Shelf Clouds
Weather Topic: What is Sleet?
Home - Education - Precipitation - Sleet
Next Topic: Snow
Sleet is a form of precipitation in which small ice pellets are the primary
components. These ice pellets are smaller and more translucent than hailstones,
and harder than graupel. Sleet is caused by specific atmospheric conditions and
therefore typically doesn't last for extended periods of time.
The condition which leads to sleet formation requires a warmer body of air to be
wedged in between two sub-freezing bodies of air. When snow falls through a warmer
layer of air it melts, and as it falls through the next sub-freezing body of air
it freezes again, forming ice pellets known as sleet. In some cases, water
droplets don't have time to freeze before reaching the surface and the result is
freezing rain.
Next Topic: Snow
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