Texas Smoke Haze Heading For Minnesota, Iowa, And South Dakota

Monster Texas and Oklahoma wildfire smoke is going to be blowing into Minnesota, Iowa, and South Dakota.

A massive wildfire, the second-largest ever recorded in Texas, blazed through the panhandle region and into many parts of Oklahoma. 

Alongside this enormous fire were several other major infernos, forcing evacuations as homes burned.

The wildfires even led to the temporary closure of the nation's primary nuclear weapons production facility.

These raging fires are producing massive smoke plumes that will be blowing into portions of Minnesota, Iowa, and South Dakota.

According to "Meteorologist In Charge" at the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls, Todd Heitkamp...

"As the wind becomes southerly later this morning, the smoke from the Texas/Oklahoma wildfires will begin to spread north. People in the Tri-State area can expect to start to smell and see the smoke. This will continue into Friday, but as the wind becomes southwesterly this weekend the smoke will be pushed into areas to the east."

The National Weather Service in Sioux Falls, a red flag warning is in effect Thursday afternoon into early Thursday evening.

While areas under a red flag warning will see the greatest fire danger risks, nearly the entire region may see an elevated fire danger risk at times this afternoon.

Use extreme caution if spending time outdoors or working outdoors.

If you see a grass fire, report it immediately!