Why does it sometimes smell like poop in the Twin Cities during fall?
The Twin Cities' poopy precursor to winter arrived Friday, with a distinct, rank smell wafting through the autumnal air.
David Brown, with the MPCA's risk evaluation and air modeling unit, said the odor marking the annual phenomenon originates from manure application on farm fields across southern Minnesota and northern Iowa following the harvest.
"This is a common occurrence every Autumn during October and November," Brown explained. "These smells may be present until late fall when the ground freezes."
In the Twin Cities, the smells are noticeable when winds from the south, southwest or west carry the orders hundreds of miles into the metropolitan area.
"The meteorology on Friday was conducive to poorer dispersion that helped make the odor more evident," Brown added. "A front passed through early Friday morning and the converging air around the front may have caused odors to accumulate before being carried east by light westerly winds behind the front.
"In addition, a strong low-level inversion was also present across the region, which helped trap the odors near the ground."
The current drought conditions and warmer temperatures are also allowing more dust and odors to be lofted into the air, according to the MPCA, which after rain on Sunday night led to a layer of dirt being left on vehicles across the metro Monday morning.
