Smoke from Canadian wildfires blowing into Minnesota gave the sky a hazy appearance Thursday that could continue into Friday.

On the upside, the tiny particles way up in the atmosphere were expected to lead to spectacular sunsets, said Brent Hewett, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Chanhassen.

"Red and pink, it should be vibrant," Hewett said. "We are in for a real treat. It should be pretty spectacular."

The thin veil of smoke covering the northern half of the state led the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to warn that air quality may worsen slightly, but it was not expected to reach unhealthy levels or trigger air quality alerts.

"You might notice the haze, and you might smell it, but it should not impact anybody," Hewett said. "You can still go for a run or bike ride and enjoy the summer weather."

The smoke from fires burning in Alberta and British Columbia and drifting into Minnesota should begin to dissipate overnight Thursday, and Friday should be mostly smoke-free before another batch of smoke moves through Friday night into Saturday morning, Hewett said.

Karen Lundegaard — Star Tribune, Star Tribune
Last year Canadian wildfires also brought hazy skies to Minnesota, as seen from the observation deck of the Foshay Tower in downtown Minneapolis on August 20, 2018. This is looking east toward St. Paul.

Temperatures on Thursday rose to 82 degrees in the Twin Cities, tying with May 16 for the warmest reading of the season. That's not even close to the record high for May 30, 98 degrees, which was set in 1934.

In a spring largely absent of warmth, temperatures should hit the 80s again on Friday, with a high of 88 predicted in the Twin Cities, before a storm system pushes through and temperatures top out at the low 70s for the weekend.

For summer lovers, next week promises a prolonged period of warmer weather, with highs expected to reach the mid- to upper 70s Tuesday through Thursday, Hewett said.

Tim Harlow • 612-673-7768