A cold front will push through today. Winds will shift from southwest to northwest with gusts around 25 mph this afternoon. In addition, relative humidity values dropping to 18 to 25 percent this afternoon will lead to elevated fire weather conditions and the possibility of quickly spreading fires. Check with your county or the DNR to see if there are any burn restrictions in place before starting fires. For more information on burn restrictions, consult: www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/fire/firerating_restrictions.html.

* WHAT. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has issued an Air Quality Alert for fine particles pollution. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is expected to reach the Red or Unhealthy category. * WHERE. Southwestern Minnesota. * WHEN. Until noon CDT Monday. * IMPACTS. Some members of the general public may experience health effects. Sensitive groups, such as people with lung disease (including asthma), heart disease, and children and older adults, may experience health effects. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS. A band of very heavy smoke from wildfires in northeast British Columbia has moved into northern Minnesota and will sweep south across the state on Sunday behind a cold front. The smoke will reach southwestern Minnesota by Sunday evening. Smoke will persist through midday Monday across southwestern Minnesota and air quality will gradually improve through the day as the smoke begins to disperse. Air quality is expected to reach the Red (Unhealthy) category for much of the state.

* WHAT. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has issued an Air Quality Alert for fine particles pollution. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is expected to reach the Red or Unhealthy category. * WHERE. All of central and southern Minnesota. * WHEN. Until noon CDT Monday. * IMPACTS. Some members of the general public may experience health effects. Sensitive groups, such as people with lung disease (including asthma), heart disease, and children and older adults, may experience health effects. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS. A band of very heavy smoke from wildfires in northeast British Columbia has moved into northern Minnesota and will sweep south across the state on Sunday behind a cold front. The smoke will reach central Minnesota by Sunday afternoon and southern Minnesota by Sunday evening. The timing of maximum smoke impacts in the Twin Cities will be from around 5pm to 10pm - and this would be the time to avoid outdoor exertion if possible. Smoke will have a rapid onset as the front passes and will linger overnight before clearing Monday morning.

The Flood Warning continues for the following rivers in Iowa. Little Sioux River At Linn Grove affecting Clay, Buena Vista, Cherokee and O'Brien Counties. Ocheyedan River near Spencer affecting Clay County. Little Sioux River above Spencer / Highway 18 affecting Clay County. Little Sioux River at Cherokee affecting Cherokee County. Little Sioux River at Spencer affecting Clay County. Little Sioux River near Milford affecting Dickinson County. * WHAT. Minor flooding is forecast. * WHERE. Little Sioux River at Linn Grove. * WHEN. Until early Monday afternoon. * IMPACTS. At 18.5 feet, the city park in Sioux Rapids is flooded. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS. - At 9:00 PM CDT Saturday the stage was 17.9 feet. - Forecast. The river is expected to remain nearly steady at 18.0 feet tonight. It will then fall below flood stage tomorrow afternoon. - Flood stage is 18.0 feet. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood

The Flood Warning continues for the following rivers in Iowa. Little Sioux River At Linn Grove affecting Clay, Buena Vista, Cherokee and O'Brien Counties. Ocheyedan River near Spencer affecting Clay County. Little Sioux River above Spencer / Highway 18 affecting Clay County. Little Sioux River at Cherokee affecting Cherokee County. Little Sioux River at Spencer affecting Clay County. Little Sioux River near Milford affecting Dickinson County. * WHAT. Minor flooding is occurring. * WHERE. Little Sioux River above Spencer / Highway 18. * WHEN. Until further notice. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS. - At 8:15 PM CDT Saturday the stage was 1323.0 feet. - Recent Activity. The maximum river stage in the 24 hours ending at 8:15 PM CDT Saturday was 1323.1 feet. - Forecast. No forecast is available for this location. - Flood stage is 1322.0 feet. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood

The Flood Warning continues for the following rivers in Iowa. Little Sioux River At Linn Grove affecting Clay, Buena Vista, Cherokee and O'Brien Counties. Ocheyedan River near Spencer affecting Clay County. Little Sioux River above Spencer / Highway 18 affecting Clay County. Little Sioux River at Cherokee affecting Cherokee County. Little Sioux River at Spencer affecting Clay County. Little Sioux River near Milford affecting Dickinson County. * WHAT. Minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast. * WHERE. Little Sioux River near Milford. * WHEN. Until early Thursday afternoon. * IMPACTS. At 14.0 feet, significant amounts of pasture and other farm lands begin to flood. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS. - At 8:00 PM CDT Saturday the stage was 13.4 feet. - Recent Activity. The maximum river stage in the 24 hours ending at 8:00 PM CDT Saturday was 13.7 feet. - Forecast. The river is expected to fall below flood stage Wednesday. - Flood stage is 12.0 feet. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood

The Flood Warning continues for the following rivers in Iowa. Ocheyedan River near Spencer affecting Clay County. Little Sioux River at Cherokee affecting Cherokee County. Little Sioux River above Spencer / Highway 18 affecting Clay County. Little Sioux River at Spencer affecting Clay County. Little Sioux River near Milford affecting Dickinson County. * WHAT. Minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast. * WHERE. Little Sioux River near Milford. * WHEN. Until early Thursday afternoon. * IMPACTS. At 14.0 feet, significant amounts of pasture and other farm lands begin to flood. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS. - At 8:00 AM CDT Sunday the stage was 13.4 feet. - Recent Activity. The maximum river stage in the 24 hours ending at 8:00 AM CDT Sunday was 13.4 feet. - Forecast. The river is expected to fall below flood stage early Wednesday afternoon and continue falling to 11.5 feet Friday morning. - Flood stage is 12.0 feet. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood

The Flood Warning continues for the following rivers in Iowa. Ocheyedan River near Spencer affecting Clay County. Little Sioux River at Cherokee affecting Cherokee County. Little Sioux River above Spencer / Highway 18 affecting Clay County. Little Sioux River at Spencer affecting Clay County. Little Sioux River near Milford affecting Dickinson County. * WHAT. Minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast. * WHERE. Little Sioux River at Spencer. * WHEN. Until further notice. * IMPACTS. At 14.0 feet, city sewers in Spencer can begin to back up. Highway 18 between Spencer and Dickens can start flooding if flows on the tributary creeks are also very high. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS. - At 8:00 AM CDT Sunday the stage was 12.3 feet. - Recent Activity. The maximum river stage in the 24 hours ending at 8:00 AM CDT Sunday was 12.7 feet. - Forecast. The river is expected to fall to 10.3 feet Friday morning. - Flood stage is 10.0 feet. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood