The weather forecast calls for a high of 80 degrees today with a 20 percent chance of an isolated thunderstorm. It is unlikely we will have any rain tonight to keep the bonfire burners at bay. That means it will be another smoky hell of an evening in North St. Paul.
9:50 AM: Very faint grass smoke coming in the windows. 65 degrees at this time. It's nice that the yard waste burner out there somewhere is getting an early start. Early to bed, early to burn. The smoke came and went for 15 minutes or so and was gone.
2:50 PM: Very faint grass smoke is coming in the windows. Is this the same yard waste burner as earlier or is this a new one? It is breezy.
3:25 PM: Very faint grass smoke coming and going. 77 degrees in North Saint Paul.
5:30 PM: A very faint smoke of some type is in the air. It is not strong enough to determine what it is. It could be burning grass or a grill off in the distance.
6:45 PM: No smoke. The calm before the storm. Savor that last bit of fresh air because soon there won't be any for many hours. 76 degrees and beautiful. You could not ask for a nicer day. That means the air will be smoky tonight. As it always is.
7:35 PM: The air is not fresh. There is something in it. Dusk is upon us and bonfires start around this time. Getting ready to close the windows soon.
8:10 PM: Light wood smoke is coming in the windows at this time. Close the windows! It is breezy at this time. I went out and it was faintly smoky all over. I found a bonfire on the southern edge of Silver Lake at Margaret & 19th. A home was burning over there last night and tonight a different home is burning. It was also very smoky along 17th at Charles and east near the old Silver Lake Market that is now a bank of some type. It is breezy at this time. The breeze blows north, then west, and alternates between the directions. Wood smoke is being disbursed far and wide. I did not find the source of the wood smoke coming in our windows.
It is a beautiful, breezy summery evening. It would be a nice night to sit outside and enjoy the pleasant air free of insects. But we can't because the air is smoky, as it always is in North St. Paul. Can't open the windows and enjoy the breeze flowing through the house. We can only sit inside with all the windows closed up tight. We are prisoners in our own home was again.
9:00 PM: Faint wood smoke.
9:30 PM: Light wood smoke.
9:45 PM: Light to moderate wood smoke. The wood smoke is getting stronger. Around 70 degrees at this time.
11:15 PM: Faint to light wood smoke. Last check of the evening. There is no chance of opening the windows before bed. We can only hope the air is free of wood smoke pollution come morning so we can open the windows up and enjoy the weather before it gets colder again.
The air was fresh when I woke up Sunday morning. Thankfully. It is common for the air to be smoky in the morning because people leave their bonfires smoldering all night. The air was not as smoky as last night, but was too smoky to sit outside or open the windows.
Smoky, polluted air every day of your life in North St. Paul.