vlog

Skip to content
NOWCAST vlog News at 10pm Weeknights
Watch on Demand
Advertisement

Iowa DNR extends air quality alert for entire state through Sunday morning

Iowa DNR extends air quality alert for entire state through Sunday morning
AND A DRONE SHOW. WE KNOW THAT CLASSIC ALWAYS WEATHER DEPENDENT. OVER THE WEEKEND. FOG, LIGHT WINDS CANCELED IT. HOPEFULLY. BESIDES AIR QUALITY ISSUES, PEOPLE CAN ENJOY A NICE SHOW TONIGHT AT THE CLASSIC. YEAH. ASIDE FROM THE AIR QUALITY, THE WEATHER LOOKS PRETTY GOOD HERE. THIS EVENING WILL BE COMFORTABLE. WE’LL HAVE A LIGHT BREEZE, SO HOPEFULLY THEY’LL BE ABLE TO DO ALL OF THE ACTIVITIES HERE LATER TONIGHT. BUT CURRENTLY YEAH, IF YOU HAVE MEDICAL CONCERNS STILL WANT YOU TO LIMIT YOUR TIME OUTDOORS AS WE ARE LOOKING AT UNHEALTHY AIR HERE ACROSS MOST OF CENTRAL IOWA, THE REST OF THE STATE IN THE ORANGE, THAT MEANS UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS. THAT’S ANYBODY THAT MAY HAVE BREATHING PROBLEMS OR HEART ISSUES. YOU STILL WANT TO LIMIT YOUR TIME OUTDOORS. WE’VE SEEN SOME IMPROVEMENT OVER THE EASTERN PART OF THE STATE HERE IN THE LAST HOUR OR TWO. HOPEFULLY THAT TREND CONTINUES, BUT UNTIL ANYTHING CHANGES AGAIN, LIMIT THAT TIME OUTSIDE IF YOU CAN. SO WE HAVE SOME LOW LEVEL SMOKE HERE THIS MORNING INTO THIS AFTERNOON. AND WE’LL CONTINUE TO SEE THAT HANGING AROUND. BUT THERE’S ALSO SMOKE COMING IN FROM THE WEST FROM FIRES IN UTAH AND ARIZONA THAT’S COMING ACROSS IN THE UPPER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE. SO WE HAVE TWO SOURCES OF SMOKE IN OUR SKY HERE TODAY. SO THAT MEANS SKIES STAY VERY HAZY TODAY. AND THEY WILL STILL BE HAZY WHEN YOU WAKE UP TOMORROW. HOWEVER, BY TOMORROW AFTERNOON, NOTICE THAT SMOKE DOES START TO THIN OUT JUST A LITTLE BIT. SO TOMORROW AFTERNOON INTO SUNDAY, HOPEFULLY WE WILL START TO SEE SOME OF THAT HAZE KIND OF CLEAR OUT. AND THAT THAT LOW LEVEL SMOKE SHOULD SLOWLY THIN OUT HERE THROUGH THE WEEKEND AS WELL. SO AIR QUALITY SHOULD BEGIN TO IMPROVE. ASIDE FROM THE SMOKY HAZE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE PLENTY OF SUNSHINE OUT THERE. SOME OF THOSE CUMULUS CLOUDS NOW BEGINNING TO BUBBLE UP HERE ACROSS THE STATE. A FEW HIGHER LEVEL CLOUDS STREAMING IN FROM THE WEST, BUT IT IS DRY. WE NEED A LITTLE DRY TIME. AFTER ALL THE RAIN WE’VE SEEN OVER THE PAST MONTH. HERE’S A LOOK AT THOSE HAZY SKIES HERE ALL ACROSS THE STATE. A LOT OF THICK SMOKE OUT THERE. PRETTY HAZY LOOKING OUT OVER DOWNTOWN AS WELL. 73 DEGREES CURRENTLY WITH A DEW POINT OF 48 DEGREES. THAT IS SOME VERY DRY AIR, SO THAT JUST FEELS WONDERFUL WHEN YOU STEP OUTSIDE. JUST DON’T SPEND A LOT OF TIME OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW. AND THE DEW POINTS STAY LOW HERE FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. SO THE COMFORTABLE AIR THAT STICKS AROUND THROUGH THE WEEKEND, EVEN INTO THE START OF NEXT WEEK. BUT NOTICE TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY THAT DEW POINT STARTS TO CREEP BACK UP. THAT MEANS IT WILL START TO FEEL MORE HUMID BY THE TIME WE GET TO THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. RIGHT NOW, MOST OF THE STATE SITTING BETWEEN ABOUT 70 AND 73 DEGREES OUT THERE FEELS REALLY GOOD WHEN YOU OPEN THE DOOR. TEMPERATURES STAY IN THE 70S HERE. AS WE HEAD INTO THE AFTERNOON, WE WILL SEE A FEW CLOUDS DRIFTING IN FROM THE WEST, BUT PLENTY OF SUN MIXED IN AT CLEAR SKIES HEADING INTO THE EVENING. IT WILL BE ANOTHER COOL ONE OUT THERE TONIGHT INTO YOUR SATURDAY MORNING. SO THIS AFTERNOON HIGHS BETWEEN ABOUT 75 AND 78 FOR MOST OF US. LOOKS LIKE 76 OR 77 HERE IN THE METRO. THAT’S ALMOST TEN DEGREES BELOW AVERAGE FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. AND THEN TONIGHT BACK DOWN INTO THE LOW AND MID 50S. A LITTLE WARMER IN THE METRO, ABOUT 57, BUT THE REST OF THE STATE LIKELY INTO THE LOW 50S OUT THERE HEADING INTO TOMORROW MORNING. TOMORROW AFTERNOON LOOKS A LOT LIKE TODAY. HOPEFULLY A LITTLE LESS HAZE. HIGHS AROUND 77 OR 78 DEGREES. WE CONTINUE THAT SLOW WARMING TREND THROUGH THE WEEKEND 78 ON SUNDAY, 80 ON MONDAY. NEXT WEEK WE’RE BACK TO SUMMER. ABOUT 87 BY WEDNESDAY AND CLOSE
vlog logo
Updated: 1:07 PM CDT Aug 1, 2025
Editorial Standards
Advertisement
Iowa DNR extends air quality alert for entire state through Sunday morning
vlog logo
Updated: 1:07 PM CDT Aug 1, 2025
Editorial Standards
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has extended an ongoing air quality alert for the entire state.Interactive Radar | Weather AlertsThe DNR issued an air quality alert Thursday for Iowa due to smoke from Canadian wildfires, making it dangerous for some people to be outside for extended periods. With high pressure moving in and northeast winds in place, surface smoke associated with the Canadian wildfires will be causing issues for the next few days. The air quality alert was initially set to expire at the end of the day Friday. However, it was updated to extend through 8 a.m. Sunday.Laura Knapp, a visitor from Minnesota attending the Senior Games in Des Moines, said, "When we walked out of the hotel this morning I could smell it just a little bit, but nothing like up north." She added, "I only smell the smoke a little bit. But I'm from Minnesota, so it's way worse up north. And, when we go outside there, we can smell it. And you can actually see it a lot in the air here. We can just see it just a little bit. So it's not bothering us at all."Todd Russell from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources noted, "I actually smelled it for a short time this morning. But then I, you know, I think your nose gets used to it. You don't notice it anymore." He said the smoke has converged over Iowa and advised sensitive individuals to be aware of the increased particulate matter in the air, calling it "unhealthy" for older Iowans with heart or lung issues. Russell added, "Prolonged and heavy outdoor activity would be something to stay away from. Other than that, most healthy people taking a walk or something like that would not be considered a bad idea." The Senior Games in Des Moines are not taking special precautions at this time, and the Iowa DNR says the smoky air will stick around for a few days, depending on the weather.» Subscribe to vlog's YouTube page» Download the free vlog app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has extended an ongoing air quality alert for the entire state.

Interactive Radar | Weather Alerts

Advertisement

The DNR issued an air quality alert Thursday for Iowa due to smoke from Canadian wildfires, making it dangerous for some people to be outside for extended periods.

With high pressure moving in and northeast winds in place, surface smoke associated with the Canadian wildfires will be causing issues for the next few days. The air quality alert was initially set to expire at the end of the day Friday. However, it was updated to extend through 8 a.m. Sunday.

current air quality
Hearst Owned
The air quality alert will impact all of Iowa through Sunday morning.

Laura Knapp, a visitor from Minnesota attending the Senior Games in Des Moines, said, "When we walked out of the hotel this morning I could smell it just a little bit, but nothing like up north." She added, "I only smell the smoke a little bit. But I'm from Minnesota, so it's way worse up north. And, when we go outside there, we can smell it. And you can actually see it a lot in the air here. We can just see it just a little bit. So it's not bothering us at all."

Todd Russell from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources noted, "I actually smelled it for a short time this morning. But then I, you know, I think your nose gets used to it. You don't notice it anymore." He said the smoke has converged over Iowa and advised sensitive individuals to be aware of the increased particulate matter in the air, calling it "unhealthy" for older Iowans with heart or lung issues. Russell added, "Prolonged and heavy outdoor activity would be something to stay away from. Other than that, most healthy people taking a walk or something like that would not be considered a bad idea."

The Senior Games in Des Moines are not taking special precautions at this time, and the Iowa DNR says the smoky air will stick around for a few days, depending on the weather.

»

» Download the free vlog app to get updates on the go: |