Minnesota and Wisconsin face air quality alerts this week.

The thick plumes of wildfire smoke that have plagued Minnesota's skies the past few weeks have dissipated, and the air quality is good to moderate. However, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has issued an air quality alert for central and southern Minnesota due to higher levels of ozone starting Tuesday. Ground-level ozone is expected to be high during the afternoon hours on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday across central and southern Minnesota. Ozone levels are expected to reach the orange air quality index (AQI) category, a level considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, across central and southern Minnesota.