GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — With the devastating wildfires burning along the west coast there's plenty of smoke in the air, and it's elbowing into Minnesota.
You'll notice a hazy film filtering out our sunshine today and though much of the week ahead.
The good news is that the smoke drifting over Minnesota and Wisconsin is forecast to stay in the high levels of the atmosphere. That means it will have little effect for us down here at the surface where air quality is good, and will remain that way. That forecast is echoed by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
One effect we do get though is some enhanced sunrises and sunsets. Smoke particles in the air are just the right size to filter out the blue wavelength light coming from the sun. What's left to travel to our eyes are the red and orange wavelengths.
This leads to sunrises and sunsets that can appear more brilliant than they would with clean air overhead.
As the fires continue, expect the smoke overhead to drift in and out all week long and beyond.
