Though dust storms have impacted Illinois expressways before, Friday’s event marked a moment of history for the city of Chicago. “Just making it to Chicago… it’s not common at all to get ...

A large dust storm swept through Illinois Friday, sparking the first-ever dust storm warning for Chicago as it led to numerous crashes and travel warnings across the state.

Dust storms are not new occurrences in Illinois. The Dust Bowl storms of the 1930s quickly come to mind, but dust storms also occurred in the 1960s and 1970s.

A view of vehicles in a dust storm, which cut visibility to near zero and triggered a series of chain-reaction crashes involving dozens of vehicles, on a highway in Springfield, Illinois, U.S. May ...

Dust storms can occur anywhere there’s loose soil and wind. Along with Illinois, states including Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico and Texas have also experienced the problem this year.

Chicago’s first dust storm in over 90 years was likely toxic and full of farm chemicals. The historic event may have carried lead, pesticides and other metals ...

John Dwyer coordinates emergency management in Champaign County, Illinois. He’s seeing a lot more weather extremes, from ...

A dust storm hit central and northern Illinois on May 16, 2025, shortly after a tornado caused severe damage in St. Louis. It led to Chicago experiencing its first-ever dust storm advisory and ...

The storm was moving at about 60 mph northward, carrying dust from central Illinois’ farms picked up in a cluster of thunderstorms earlier Friday, he said. The exact path of the storm was not ...

A dust storm hit Normal, Illinois, causing the NWS to issue a warning for McLean County. Powerful winds reached 60 mph, leading to near zero visibility. Tuesday, Jul 01, 2025.

Dust storm warning for Chicago, Illinois on May 16, 2025. NWS. I did not believe it either until my friend Dr. Tom Gill started posting about it on his social media platforms.

As dust storms continue to occur in Illinois, conservation workers in the state say they’re receiving inadequate funding while lawmakers deprioritize their efforts.