A new report from the weather service says the dust storm last month, which prompted the Chicagoland area’s first-ever dust storm warning, impacted Lake County.
The National Weather Service (NWS) said a dust storm developed near Bloomington and raced northeast toward the Chicago metropolitan area during the afternoon and evening on May 16.
The dust storm was caused by strong winds originating from a cluster of severe thunderstorms moving across central Illinois.
Visibility dropped to near zero and winds gusted over 60 mph within the worst of the dust storm.
Four dust storm warnings were issued during the event.
Cell phone users throughout the area received an “emergency alert” on their phones after the NWS issued the warnings.
“Be ready for sudden drop to zero visibility. Pull aside, stay alive! When visibility drops, pull far off the road and put your vehicle in park. Turn the lights off and keep your foot off the brake,” the alert said.
“Infants, the elderly and those with respiratory issues urged to take precautions,” the alert added.
Forecasters said this was the first time the NWS Chicago issued a dust storm warning that included the Chicago metropolitan area.
The only other time that the NWS Chicago issued a dust storm warning was on May 7, 2023, but that did not include the Chicago metropolitan area.
“Previously, the last time a significant dust storm impacted Chicago was during the Dust Bowl on May 10th, 1934,” the NWS said.
By 6:40 p.m., the NWS said the dust storm was beginning to ease across the Chicago area and a few thunderstorms were expected to pass over the northern Chicago metro area.
A report by the NWS released last week said the significant blowing dust event occurred across portions of Illinois, Indiana and Michigan.
“A complex of thunderstorms moving through an environment favorable for efficient thunderstorm downdraft production triggered an outflow of straight-line winds in central Illinois,” the report said.
” These gusty winds moved across rural, agricultural areas that were recently tilled and planted for the spring, with soil moisture values below average for May. A significant amount of dirt and dust was lofted, leading to a rare dust storm for the area,” the report said.
A multi-county area experienced visibilities less than a mile and the minimum observed visibility was 0.25 miles at official weather stations, while unofficial reports indicated near zero miles.
Multiple car crashes were attributed to the dust storm in central Illinois, the report said, adding that airplane travel in the Chicago area was disrupted.
A diagram from the report showed that the dust storm passed through part of Lake County as it made its way through Illinois.