First-ever Dust Storm Warning issued for Chicago, visibility drops to near zero across metro area
The first-ever Dust Storm Warning for the Chicago metro area was issued on May 16, 2025, as winds of up to 113 km/h (70 mph) carried dust into the city. The storm reduced visibility to near zero and affected major routes across Chicago and surrounding areas.
Dust storm moving through Bloomington, Illinois on May 16, 2025. Image credit: NWS Chicago
The National Weather Service (NWS) Chicago office in Romeoville issued its first-ever Dust Storm Warning that included the city of Chicago on May 16, 2025.
The warning was prompted by a fast-moving dust storm that originated near Bloomington, Illinois, and advanced northeastward into the Chicago metropolitan area during the afternoon and evening hours. Winds gusting between 97 and 113 km/h (60–70 mph) lifted dust from dry farmlands, reducing visibility to near zero and creating hazardous travel conditions across the region.
The office issued four Dust Storm Warnings between 16:48 and 18:23 local time, covering multiple counties in northeastern Illinois and northwestern Indiana, including the Chicago metropolitan area. The warnings encompassed a population exceeding 5 million residents and expired by approximately 20:30 local time.
Simply incredible satellite imagery of a dust storm hitting Chicago this evening. pic.twitter.com/Sr442LNwAn
— CIRA (@CIRA_CSU) May 17, 2025
A literal wall of dust quickly dropped visibility to zero for much of the Chicago area as a gusty storm blew through Friday night. See how quickly parts of the Chicago area were shrouded in gray haze. pic.twitter.com/A9jYzHVWif
— CBS Chicago (@cbschicago) May 17, 2025
The winds lifted dust from dry farmlands as the system moved into the Chicago area, reducing visibility to near zero by 18:40 local time (LT).
Multiple major highways, including I-190, I-290, I-294, and I-355, were affected. Additionally, in Kankakee County, visibility was reduced to zero around 18:30 LT, recovering to approximately 16 km (10 miles) by 19:00 LT. Although conditions began to improve around 19:40 LT, reduced visibility persisted in some areas, continuing to pose challenges for drivers.
This was the first Dust Storm Warning to include the city of Chicago and the second ever issued by the NWS Chicago office.
The previous Dust Storm Warning from this office was issued on May 7, 2023, for an area outside the Chicago metropolitan region.
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