Air Quality impacts tonight & Monday; Seasonal temperatures return later this week

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – Following a hot and sunny weekend, more seasonal temperatures in the 70s are ahead for the upcoming week, but there will also be some air quality issues.

An Air Quality Alert will be in effect for portions of southeast Minnesota until 9 am Monday. Air quality levels are expected to reach the orange category, unhealthy for sensitive groups, due to wildfire smoke coming out of eastern Canada. Improvement in the air quality levels is expected later this week.

Tonight, mostly clear to partly cloudy skies are expected as overnight temperatures settle into the low 60s with light east winds at 5-10 mph.

One more hot day is expected for the region Monday before cooler, more seasonal temperatures in the mid to upper 70s return to the region. Afternoon highs will be in the mid to upper 80s on Monday with mostly to partly sunny skies. Winds will be light out of the southwest at 5-10 mph. Similar to the last few days, stray to isolated showers and thunderstorms are possible during the mid to late afternoon and early evening hours. No severe weather is expected, but downpours and lightning will be the main concerns with any activity that develops.

Tuesday could also see a chance of stray to isolated showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon and early evening hours. Daytime temperatures will be slightly cooler than the past several days in the upper 70s. Winds will be light out of the east at 5-10 mph with mostly to partly sunny skies.

Conditions will feel much more seasonal during the midweek on Wednesday and Thursday as afternoon temperatures settle into the mid-70s. Temperatures are expected to climb back into the upper 70s by Friday and the low 80s on Saturday. Pleasant sunshine will continue into the late week with a chance for isolated showers and thunderstorms on Saturday.

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