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MN weather: Windy and seasonably mild Tuesday
Expect a warmer start Tuesday, followed by slightly cooler and windy conditions later in the day. FOX 9 meteorologist Cody Matz has the forecast.
(FOX 9) - A red flag warning has been issued for 35 Minnesota counties on Tuesday due to extreme fire risk conditions.
Red flag warning in Minnesota
Local perspective:
The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for 35 counties in northwest, west central and southwest Minnesota from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday.
The impacted counties include: Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Chippewa, Clay, Cottonwood, Faribault, Grant, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac Qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, Marshall, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Norman, Otter Tail, Pipestone, Polk, Pope, Redwood, Renville, Rock, Sibley, Stevens, Swift, Traverse, Watonwan, Wilkin, and Yellow Medicine.
Red flag warnings are issued when conditions such as low humidity and strong winds could cause fires to spread quickly and get out of control, according to the DNR.
Red flag warning for May 12, 2026. (FOX 9)
What they're saying:
"When fire risk is this high, it’s important to be careful with anything could spark a wildfire," said Karen Harrison, DNR wildfire prevention specialist.
Officials are urging residents not to burn in counties where the warning is in effect and to check any recent burning to ensure fires are completely out. The DNR will not issue or activate open burning permits for large vegetative debris burning and said campfires are discouraged.
What you can do:
For the latest fire danger and burning restrictions, visit the Minnesota DNR website.
Windy and seasonably mild Tuesday in Minnesota
The forecast:
It will be rather breezy and dry on Tuesday, with northwest winds at 15 to 25 mph and gusts up to 40 mph possible.
Northern Minnesota stays cooler in the 50s under more clouds. Central Minnesota sees a mix of sun and clouds and highs in the 60s. Southern Minnesota warms into the mid-70s under more sunshine. The Twin Cities metro tops out around 72 degrees before slipping a few degrees later in the day.
Winds ease heading into Tuesday night as temperatures fall into the upper 40s. A stray late-night sprinkle can't be ruled out.
The Source: This story uses information from FOX 9 Meteorologists, the National Weather Service, and the Minnesota DNR.