The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has issued an air quality alert for the Twin Cities and portions of central Minnesota, including cities like Willmar and Hutchinson.

The warning runs from 2 p.m. Tuesday through 6 p.m. Thursday.

A release said stagnant weather conditions have resulted in fine particles rising into the Orange (unhealthy for sensitive groups) category in the Twin Cities metro area. Light winds, clear skies and a strong inversion have resulted in poor dispersion, trapping air pollutants near the ground.

The release said the conditions will continue over the next couple of days as the plume of fine particles slowly moves into Central Minnesota.

A front expected to move across the state on Thursday is expected to bring cleaner air into the region.

via MPCA issues air quality alert for Twin Cities, parts of central Minnesota | KSTP.com