Minnesotans will get their first whiff of Canadian wildfire smoke this spring after several fires developed across eastern Saskatchewan and western Manitoba on Thursday afternoon.
A brief period of dense smoke is expected to move across the state from the northwest to the southeast along a cold front, severely degrading air quality.
The National Weather Service in Grand Forks, North Dakota, said the smoke will likely linger anywhere from two to five hours in any one location, reaching central Minnesota by about 1 p.m.
"Consider altering outdoor plans during the period of thickest smoke," the weather service stated.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency reported an air quality alert was not anticipated due to the short window of time the smoke would be present.
The air sensor in Winnipeg showed just how quickly and dramatically the smoke affected air quality early Friday morning, going from "Good" to "Very Unhealthy" and back to "Good" in about two hours, the MPCA shared.
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And: A new bill in the Minnesota Legislature would allow small school districts to shrink their school board size. -
Contributed/Beltrami CountyIn a Thursday, March 12, 2026, order, Judge Jeanine Brand said the attorney general’s office showed sufficient probable cause for the case against Michelle R. Skroch to move forward. -
Contributed/US House Clerk YouTube screenshotThe legislation was previously introduced in the Senate and aims to prevent fraud in the child care assistance program. The Council on American-Islamic Relations Minnesota condemned the bill's name. -
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Events this week include a senior citizens' lunch in Pengilly, a choir concert in Baxter and a maple syrup talk at Lake Bemidji State Park. -
Contributed/Lorie Shaull via FlickrThe North Shore saw snowfall totals closer to 8-12 inches. Another system this weekend could drop similar amounts on the areas that were missed March 12-13, 2026. -
Plus: Some aquatic invasive species prevention efforts to prepare for the impending open water season in Minnesota are already taking place.
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In this episode, hosts Charlie Mitchell and Chelsey Perkins revisit dinosaur songs and discuss inadvertent scientific discoveries.Send us a voice memo through Speak Pipe!Charlie recommends the book An Immense World by Ed Yong. -
Contributed/University of Minnesota ExtensionGetting an earlier start on targeted removal gives them a stronger chance to effectively manage invasive weeds over the course of an open-water season, professionals say.
