It is a warm spring day. Smoky air is highly likely tonight. It would be uncharacteristic of the city of North St. Paul, MN, if we did not have polluted air. You can count on smoky air almost every evening during the warm months unless it rains.
4:40 PM: No wood smoke. 73 degrees, cloudy and breezy. Though it may be cloudy, the gray sky is not enough to diminish a beautiful spring day. This is our warmest day this year and I believe our warmest day in six months.
5:10 PM: No wood smoke yet. It is a little early for bonfires. Not early on the calendar as recreational air pollution begins as soon as it warms up enough to sit outside. Early on the clock. 74 degrees. The windows around the house are open. The breeze is blowing through the house and it feels great!
7:00 PM: No wood smoke. Windy.
8:00 PM: Out of the city. On my way back I noticed faint wood smoke at the intersection of Beam & McKnight. I do not know where it was coming from or if it was coming from the North St. Paul or Maplewood side.
It is very windy at this time. Strong wind gusts are coming out of the south. The wind changes direction every few minutes.
8:30 PM: No wood smoke. It is even windier than it was earlier. The air is fresh!
10:25 PM: Still no wood smoke where we are.
11:00 PM: No wood smoke.
I woke up and checked the air about quarter past midnight. There was no wood smoke.
The only explanation for the absence of wood smoke this evening is the strong wind.