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It's been cloudy and rainy in our neck of the woods, but parts of Minnesota could soon see hazy skies, thanks to Canada.

I've always been a fan of our neighbors to the north in Canada. They're polite, they like hockey, and they gave us the Tim Hortons coffee shop franchise. (And, by the way, where did all our Minnesota Tim Hortons location go?)

And now, Canada could soon be providing us a certain haze to our skies here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. It's due to smoke from wildfires that are burning right now in parts of Ontario and Manitoba-- the two Canadian provinces directly north of Minnesota.

According to this Weather Channel story, more than a dozen wildfires are burning right now across the southern portions of both of those provinces. And as it gets caught up in the jet stream, it could make its way into parts of Minnesota and could, under certain conditions, cause the skies to become hazy here. (Of course, our weather has been too cloudy and rainy lately to notice any smoke.)

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says smoke from these (or any) wildfires could also be problematic for some Minnesotans.

While it may produce beautiful sunsets, wildfire smoke that reaches the ground can affect our health. Wildfire smoke contains fine particles that may be harmful to sensitive groups. Air quality is measured on a color scale called the Air Quality Index. When daily average fine-particle levels reach the orange category, sensitive groups such as children, older adults, and those with respiratory conditions may feel the effects.

The good news, though, is that right now, the jet stream appears to be flowing in a westerly direction, and most of the smoke looks like it's heading west of Minnesota and impacting parts of North Dakota, with only the very northwest corner of Minnesota being affected. (You can check the latest smoke map from the Canadian government HERE.)

Smoke from wildfires isn't necessarily a big weather phenomenon, given all the other weird weather we sometimes experience here in the North Star State. Keep scrolling to check out 11 of the most devasting weather disasters that have happened here in Minnesota!

 

11 of the Most Devastating Weather Disasters in Minnesota Throughout The Years

We might be full of lakes and "nice" but Minnesota has had its fair share of horrible and nasty weather. Throughout the years we've had floods, fires, storms that have crushed stadium roofs flat, and tornadoes that have destroyed lives.

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