Why Is It So Hazy In The Duluth – Superior Area Today?

As temperatures soar to around 80 degrees for the first time this season, hot, dry, and windy conditions are meeting Northlanders with somewhat mixed feelings.

The dose of summerlike temperatures are a welcome thing for many, but the hot temperatures, wind, and dry conditions are also fueling fire risk across the Northland, bringing concern to many in the region as well.

For people in Twin Ports Area, there's a pretty thick haze in the sky that's arrived with today's hot temperatures. Sometimes in the summer, there's a haze that will develop with humid weather, but humidity levels are low. That's part of what is fueling the fire concerns for today.

Due to how things have gone the last few summers, most people immediately jump to the conclusion it's probably smoke from a wildfire somewhere, but the National Weather Service says that's not what it is either.

The culprit behind the haze in the sky over Duluth, Superior, and elsewhere around the Twin Ports area is actually dust

Maybe you've seen some of the videos being shared around online showing thick dust blowing around in North Dakota. That's what is finding its way all the way across Minnesota and to the shores of Lake Superior.

On Friday afternoon, the Duluth office of the National Weather Service shared a map showing much of Northern Minnesota being impacted by dust blowing in from North Dakota, being carried by strong winds.

The dust has led to reduced air quality across much of Northern Minnesota according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, who have an air quality alert out due to especially high dust levels in Northwestern Minnesota.

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The expectation is that as winds calm down overnight Friday night, dust should settle some. Additional wind on Saturday could cause some additional airborne dust on Saturday before rain comes into the region Sunday an Monday.