May 16, 2025: Significant Dust Storm Impacts the Region

Event Summary Graphic

Visible satellite imagery loop

(Click to enlarge loop)

GOES-19 Visible "True Color" satellite imagery loop of the dust storm (courtesy of the College of DuPage: https://weather.cod.edu/satrad).

Overview
Warnings and Additional Items
Storm Reports
Photos
Additional Info

Overview

During the afternoon and evening of May 16th, 2025, a dust storm developed in central Illinois near Bloomington and Champaign and raced northeastward into the Chicago metropolitan area.

The dust storm was caused by strong winds originating out of a cluster of severe thunderstorms moving across central Illinois. These strong winds picked up dust as they swept across dry farmland, which quickly amassed into an expansive dust plume along and behind the leading edge of the thunderstorm outflow winds.

Visibility dropped to near zero and winds gusted over 60 mph within the worst of the dust storm, including in Chicago.

Four Dust Storm Warnings were issued during this event.
- This was the first time that Dust Storm Warnings were issued for the Chicago metropolitan area.
- Prior to this event, the only other time that Dust Storm Warnings were issued by the NWS Chicago office was on May 7, 2023 (2 were issued during that event).

Dust storms are uncommon, but not unprecedented, in the Midwest region. However, it is very rare for a dust storm to impact Chicago.
- The last time a dust storm affected Chicago was on May 31, 1985. As the worst of that dust storm passed through, visibility fell to as low as 2-4 miles in the city. Visibility outside of Chicago was worse, and according to newspaper accounts, led to a deadly pile-up on I-90 near Marengo (between Rockford and Chicago).
- The last time a dust storm of this magnitude impacted Chicago was during the Dust Bowl in the early to mid 1930s. Records from that time period are difficult to verify, though a dust storm on May 10, 1934 appears to be the closest analog to this event.

The dust storm occurred on the same day that a severe weather outbreak featuring multiple strong, deadly tornadoes took place across the central and eastern U.S.

For detailed information about this event, see The Midwest Dust Storm of 16 May 2025, a NWS Technical Paper which details progression of the dust storm, observed weather conditions, and impacts.

Warnings and Additional Items

Dust Storm Warnings are issued by NWS offices to warn of blowing dust that will reduce visibilities to one quarter mile or less.

Between 4:48 PM and 6:23 PM CDT, NWS Chicago issued a total of four Dust Storm Warnings:


First Dust Storm Warning issued at 4:48 PM CDT	Second Dust Storm Warning issued at 5:32 PM CDT

Third Dust Storm Warning issued at 6:00 PM CDT	Fourth (and final) Dust Storm Warning issued at 6:23 PM CDT

An unusual surface observation taken at O'Hare Airport at 7:05 PM CDT. This observation indicates a southwest wind gusting to 43 knots (50 mph) and 1/2 mile visibility with both a dust storm and thunderstorm ongoing at the same time!

Storm Reports

Map showing the observed and estimated minimum visibilities observed during the May 16, 2025, dust storm.

Map showing the duration of time that visibilities were reduced due to blowing dust during the May 16 2025 dust storm event. Most areas impacted by the dust storm are indicated as having reduced visibilities for about 45 minutes or longer, with the longest visibility reductions depicted near the Chicago metropolitan area.

Map showing the duration of time that visibilities were reduced due to the May 16, 2025, dust storm event.

Preliminary Local Storm Report...Summary
National Weather Service Chicago IL
852 PM CDT Sat May 17 2025

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0505 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     5 SW Clarence           40.40N 88.02W
05/16/2025  M54 MPH          Ford               IL   Public

            Private weather station reported 54 mph gust
            southeast of Paxton.

0510 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     Paxton                  40.46N 88.09W
05/16/2025                   Ford               IL   Emergency Mngr

            Power lines downed on East Patton Street in
            Paxton. Time estimated.

0513 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     1 NE Gibson City        40.47N 88.37W
05/16/2025                   Ford               IL   Emergency Mngr

            Emergency manager reports tree in roadway
            near Melvin Street and 15th Street in Gibson
            City.

0514 PM     Dust Storm       3 W Sibley              40.59N 88.44W
05/16/2025                   Ford               IL   Emergency Mngr

            3 vehicle accident at IL-165 and 100 E Road
            west of Sibley due to dust storm. Zero
            visibility at time of report.

0516 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     2 NNW Cissna Park       40.59N 87.91W
05/16/2025  M59 MPH          Iroquois           IL   Public

            Private weather station reported 59 mph gust
            near Cissna Park.

0520 PM     Dust Storm       Ambia                   40.49N 87.52W
05/16/2025                   Benton             IN   Emergency Mngr

            Emergency management reports zero visibility
            in Ambia due to dust storm.

0520 PM     Dust Storm       2 S Boswell             40.48N 87.38W
05/16/2025                   Benton             IN   Emergency Mngr

            Emergency management reports zero visibility
            along US-41 near 850 South Road south of
            Boswell due to dust storm.

0520 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     Ambia                   40.49N 87.52W
05/16/2025  M65 MPH          Benton             IN   Emergency Mngr

            Emergency management reported 65 mph wind
            gust with leading edge of dust storm.

0521 PM     Blowing Dust     5 NNE Ambia             40.57N 87.49W
05/16/2025                   Benton             IN   Public

            Photo shared by Benton County emergency
            management shows significantly reduced
            visibility due to blowing dust near
            Dunnington.

0521 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     5 NNE Ambia             40.56N 87.49W
05/16/2025  M70 MPH          Benton             IN   Emergency Mngr

            Corrects previous non-tstm wnd gst report
            from 5 NNE Ambia. 70 mph gust measured near
            Dunnington. Wind gust occurred along the
            leading edge of a dust storm.

0524 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     2 SSW Milford           40.60N 87.72W
05/16/2025  M63 MPH          Iroquois           IL   Public

            Private weather station KILMILFO14 reported
            63 mph gust near Milford.

0525 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     3 ESE Boswell           40.51N 87.32W
05/16/2025  M57 MPH          Benton             IN   Public

            Private weather station reported 57 mph gust
            near Boswell.

0526 PM     Dust Storm       1 WNW Buckley           40.60N 88.05W
05/16/2025                   Iroquois           IL   Dept of Highways

            IL-DOT roadwday camera shows significantly
            reduced visibility due to blowing dust along
            I-57 at mile marker 287 near Buckley.

0527 PM     Non-Tstm Wnd Dmg Piper City              40.76N 88.18W
05/16/2025                   Ford               IL   Emergency Mngr

            Emergency management reports tree downed
            onto house near Race Street and Vine Street
            in Piper City. Wind gusts associated with
            arrival of dust storm.

0529 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     Pontiac                 40.88N 88.63W
05/16/2025  M54 MPH          Livingston         IL   Public

            Private weather station KILPONTI24 reported
            54 mph gust in Pontiac.

0530 PM     Non-Tstm Wnd Dmg 2 N Crescent City       40.80N 87.86W
05/16/2025                   Iroquois           IL   Cocorahs

            Roof shingles peeled off and minor tree
            damage. Time estimated.

0534 PM     Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 3 SW Iroquois           40.80N 87.62W
05/16/2025  M57 MPH          Iroquois           IL   Public

            Private weather station KILSHELD3 reported
            57 mph gust between Watseka and Iroquois.
            Wind gust occurred during leading edge of
            dust storm.

0535 PM     Blowing Dust     3 N Pontiac             40.92N 88.62W
05/16/2025                   Livingston         IL   AWOS

            1/2 mile visibility and peak wind gust of 52
            mph reported by KPNT AWOS as dust storm
            moved through.

0535 PM     Dust Storm       3 E Pontiac             40.89N 88.57W
05/16/2025                   Livingston         IL   Emergency Mngr

            Photo shared by Livingston County emergency
            management shows near zero visibility east
            of Pontiac due to dust storm.

0535 PM     Dust Storm       2 W Clarence            40.46N 88.00W
05/16/2025                   Ford               IL   Emergency Mngr

            Near-zero visibility on Route 9 east of
            Paxton.

0536 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     Oxford                  40.52N 87.25W
05/16/2025                   Benton             IN   Emergency Mngr

            Updates previous tstm wnd dmg report from
            Oxford. Benton County emergency management
            reports large limbs and power lines downed
            in and near Oxford.

0537 PM     Dust Storm       Dwight                  41.09N 88.43W
05/16/2025                   Livingston         IL   Trained Spotter

            Trained spotter reported less than 1/4 mile
            visibility in Dwight as dust storm moved
            through.

0539 PM     Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 1 SE Kentland           40.76N 87.43W
05/16/2025  M63 MPH          Newton             IN   Public

            Private weather station KINKENTL5 reported
            63 mph gust near Kentland. Gust occurred
            with leading edge of dust storm.

0540 PM     Dust Storm       Fowler                  40.62N 87.32W
05/16/2025                   Benton             IN   Public

            IN-DOT camera indicates near zero visibility
            on US-41 west of Fowler due to dust storm.

0540 PM     Dust Storm       1 W Gilman              40.77N 88.00W
05/16/2025                   Iroquois           IL   Emergency Mngr

            Multiple reports of near-zero visibility
            received in western portions of Iroquois
            County as dust storm moved through.

0540 PM     Dust Storm       1 ESE Watseka           40.77N 87.72W
05/16/2025                   Iroquois           IL   Emergency Mngr

            Updates previous dust storm report from 1
            ESE Watseka. 1/4 mile visibility reported at
            the Iroquois County Courthouse in Watseka as
            dust storm moved through. A peak gust of 52
            mph was also measured during the dust storm.

0540 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     3 N Oxford              40.56N 87.24W
05/16/2025  M75 MPH          Benton             IN   Emergency Mngr

            Measured wind gust of 75 mph at Benton
            Central High School. Time estimated by
            radar.

0542 PM     Dust Storm       4 SW Dwight             41.06N 88.47W
05/16/2025                   Livingston         IL   Dept of Highways

            IL-DOT traffic camera shows significantly
            reduced visibility along I-55 near mile
            marker 214 southwest of Dwight due to dust
            storm.

0544 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     Fowler                  40.62N 87.32W
05/16/2025                   Benton             IN   Emergency Mngr

            Trees fell onto 3 homes, with one reported
            seriously damaged. In addition, there were
            numerous trees downed, 15 power poles
            snapped, and other reports of roof and
            window damage reported across Benton County.
            Time estimated by radar.

0545 PM     Dust Storm       Kankakee                41.12N 87.87W
05/16/2025                   Kankakee           IL   Public

            City of Kankakee web cam shows significant
            reduced visibility in downtown Kankakee due
            to dust storm.

0551 PM     Non-Tstm Wnd Gst Remington               40.77N 87.15W
05/16/2025  M60 MPH          Jasper             IN   Cocorahs

            Peak measured wind gust.

0551 PM     Dust Storm       3 N Remington           40.81N 87.15W
05/16/2025                   Jasper             IN   Public

            Public report of near zero visibility near
            US-231 and I-65 due to dust storm north of
            Remington.

0554 PM     Dust Storm       2 ENE Remington         40.77N 87.12W
05/16/2025                   Jasper             IN   Public

            IN-DOT traffic camera shows near zero
            visibility along I-65 near mile marker 201
            east of Remington due to dust storm.

0557 PM     Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 NW Plainfield         41.63N 88.23W
05/16/2025  M54 MPH          Will               IL   Public

            Private weather station reported 54 mph gust
            near Plainfield.

0604 PM     Blowing Dust     3 E Roselawn            41.14N 87.27W
05/16/2025                   Jasper             IN   Dept of Highways

            IN-DOT traffic camera shows reduced
            visibility due due to blowing dust along
            I-65 near mile marker 230 near Roselawn.

0605 PM     Dust Storm       2 S Mazon               41.22N 88.42W
05/16/2025                   Grundy             IL   Emergency Mngr

            Grundy County EMA reported 1/10 mile
            visibility across southern parts of Grundy
            County with gusts of 45 mph as dust storm
            moved through.

0606 PM     Dust Storm       4 N Carbon Hill         41.35N 88.30W
05/16/2025                   Grundy             IL   CO-OP Observer

            1/4 mile visibility reported as dust storm
            moved through.

0606 PM     Dust Storm       3 NW Wilmington         41.34N 88.19W
05/16/2025                   Will               IL   Public

            IL-DOT traffic camera along I-55 near mile
            marker 240 indicates significantly reduced
            visibility due to dust storm.

0609 PM     Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 NNW Manhattan         41.45N 88.00W
05/16/2025  M58 MPH          Will               IL   Public

            Private weather station KILMANHA55 reported
            58 mph gust near Manhattan. Gust occurred
            with leading edge of dust storm.

0610 PM     Dust Storm       2 SE Preston Heights    41.47N 88.06W
05/16/2025                   Will               IL   Emergency Mngr

            Photo shared by Will County emergency
            management shows leading edge of near zero
            visibility approaching Chicagoland Speedway
            near Joliet.

0611 PM     Dust Storm       Peotone                 41.33N 87.79W
05/16/2025                   Will               IL   Local Official

            Visibility of 1/2 mile or less reported in
            Peotone as dust storm moved through.

0612 PM     Dust Storm       2 NNE Peotone           41.35N 87.78W
05/16/2025                   Will               IL   CO-OP Observer

            1/4 to 1/8 mile visibility on Peotone Road
            and Route 50 as dust storm moved through.

0617 PM     Dust Storm       Monee                   41.42N 87.76W
05/16/2025                   Will               IL   Public

            1/8 mile visibility reported on I-57 in
            Monee as dust storm moved through.

0618 PM     Blowing Dust     4 NNE Mount Ayr         41.01N 87.28W
05/16/2025                   Newton             IN   Trained Spotter

            Photo shows reduced visibility due to
            blowing dust near Fair Oaks Farm north of Mt
            Ayr.

0620 PM     Dust Storm       1 E Tinley Park         41.57N 87.79W
05/16/2025                   Cook               IL   Trained Spotter

            Public report of nearly zero visibility in
            Tinley Park due to dust storm.

0620 PM     Dust Storm       Burbank                 41.74N 87.77W
05/16/2025                   Cook               IL   Trained Spotter

            Near zero visibility.

0622 PM     Dust Storm       1 NE Shorewood          41.53N 88.18W
05/16/2025                   Will               IL   Dept of Highways

            IL-DOT traffic camera shows near zero
            visibility along I-55 just north of
            Jefferson Street in Shorewood due to dust
            storm.

0627 PM     Blowing Dust     1 WNW New Lenox         41.52N 87.99W
05/16/2025                   Will               IL   Dept of Highways

            IL-DOT traffic camera shows significantly
            reduced visibility along I-80 near mile
            marker 137 east of Joliet due to blowing
            dust.

0629 PM     Blowing Dust     1 WNW Country Club Hill 41.57N 87.74W
05/16/2025                   Cook               IL   Dept of Highways

            IL-DOT traffic camera shows significantly
            reduced visibility near I-80 and I-57 due to
            blowing dust.

0629 PM     Dust Storm       NWS Chicago-Romeoville  41.60N 88.08W
05/16/2025                   Will               IL   Official NWS Obs

            1/4 to 1/2 mile visibility observed at NWS
            Chicago office in Romeoville as dust storm
            moved through. A peak gust of 54 mph was
            recorded by the KLOT AWOS while this
            occurred.

0630 PM     Blowing Dust     3 WSW Winfield          41.39N 87.32W
05/16/2025                   Lake               IN   Dept of Highways

            IN-DOT traffic camera shows reduced
            visibility along I-65 near mile marker 247
            southeast of Crown Point due to blowing
            dust.

0630 PM     Blowing Dust     2 SW Schererville       41.48N 87.47W
05/16/2025                   Lake               IN   Public

            Multiple IN-DOT traffic cameras show reduced
            visibilities in St John, Schererville, and
            Dyer due to blowing dust.

0630 PM     Blowing Dust     1 E Burbank             41.74N 87.76W
05/16/2025                   Cook               IL   Public

            Public report of significantly reduced
            visibility due to blowing dust in Burbank.

0635 PM     Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 1 NE Lynwood            41.53N 87.53W
05/16/2025  M53 MPH          Cook               IL   AWOS

            Peak gust recorded by KIGQ AWOS as dust
            storm moved through. Lowest reported
            visibility was 1.5 miles.

0635 PM     Dust Storm       Lemont                  41.67N 88.00W
05/16/2025                   Cook               IL   Emergency Mngr

            Lemont emergency management indicates
            visibility around a quarter mile in Lemont
            due to a dust storm.

0635 PM     Blowing Dust     1 NNE Countryside       41.79N 87.87W
05/16/2025                   Cook               IL   Public

            Visibility below 1 mile due to blowing dust.
            Time estimated by radar and satellite.

0635 PM     Non-Tstm Wnd Dmg 3 SW Warrenville        41.78N 88.22W
05/16/2025                   DuPage             IL   Public

            Large uprooted tree.

0635 PM     Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 3.0 SW Midway Airport   41.74N 87.78W
05/16/2025  M64 MPH          Cook               IL   CO-OP Observer

            Midway cooperative observer in Burbank
            reported peak gust 64 mph during arrival of
            dust storm. Time estimated by radar and
            satellite.

0638 PM     Non-Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 N Hometown            41.74N 87.73W
05/16/2025                   Cook               IL   Public

            Photo shared showing large tree branch
            downed on the southwest side of Chicago near
            Burbank. Time estimated based on nearby wind
            observations.

0639 PM     Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 1 SW Wheeler            41.50N 87.19W
05/16/2025  M55 MPH          Porter             IN   Public

            Private weather station KINWHEEL1 reported
            55 mph gust near Wheeler. Gust occurred with
            leading edge of dust storm.

0640 PM     Dust Storm       Midway Airport          41.79N 87.75W
05/16/2025                   Cook               IL   ASOS

            Updates previous blowing dust report from
            Midway Airport. Chicago Midway Airport web
            cam shows significantly reduced visibility
            due to dust storm. Lowest visibility
            reported by KMDW ASOS was 1/4 mile.

0640 PM     Dust Storm       1 SSE Alsip             41.66N 87.73W
05/16/2025                   Cook               IL   Emergency Mngr

            Visibility around 1/4 mile.

0640 PM     Non-Tstm Wnd Gst Midway Airport          41.79N 87.75W
05/16/2025  M60 MPH          Cook               IL   ASOS

            Peak gust recorded by MDW ASOS as dust storm
            moved through.

0644 PM     Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 3 ESE Valparaiso        41.45N 87.01W
05/16/2025  M52 MPH          Porter             IN   ASOS

            Peak gust recorded by KVPZ ASOS as dust
            storm moved through. Lowest reported
            visibility was 1.75 miles.

0650 PM     Non-Tstm Wnd Gst DuPage Airport          41.91N 88.25W
05/16/2025  M52 MPH          DuPage             IL   ASOS

            Peak gust recorded by KDPA ASOS as dust
            storm moved through. Lowest reported
            visibility was 2 miles.

0650 PM     Blowing Dust     2 WNW Sugar Grove       41.77N 88.47W
05/16/2025                   Kane               IL   ASOS

            1 mile visibility reported by KARR ASOS as
            dust storm moved through.

0650 PM     Dust Storm       Berwyn                  41.84N 87.79W
05/16/2025                   Cook               IL   Trained Spotter

            Trained spotter reports quarter mile
            visibility in Berwyn due to dust storm.

0651 PM     Hail             Rockford Airport        42.20N 89.10W
05/16/2025  M1.00 Inch       Winnebago          IL   Official NWS Obs



0652 PM     Marine Tstm Wind 3 NE Navy Pier          41.92N 87.57W
05/16/2025  M78 MPH          LMZ741             IL   Public

            Harrison Dever Crib reported 78 mph gust.
            Gust was associated with the leading edge of
            a dust storm.

0655 PM     Blowing Dust     1 SE Maywood            41.87N 87.83W
05/16/2025                   Cook               IL   Public

            IL-DOT traffic camera shows reduced
            visibility along I-290 near IL-171 in
            Maywood due to blowing dust.

0700 PM     Blowing Dust     1 S Chicago Loop        41.87N 87.63W
05/16/2025                   Cook               IL   Public

            Photo shared to social media shows
            significantly reduced visibility in south
            loop of Chicago due to blowing dust.

0700 PM     Hail             Cherry Valley           42.24N 88.96W
05/16/2025  E1.00 Inch       Winnebago          IL   Public



0700 PM     Marine Tstm Wind 3 NE Beverly Shores     41.72N 86.94W
05/16/2025  M51 MPH          LMZ745             IN   Public

            Peak gust of 44.9 kt at Michigan City GLERL
            site.

0705 PM     Blowing Dust     OHare Airport           41.96N 87.93W
05/16/2025                   DuPage             IL   ASOS

            1/2 mile visibility and peak wind gust of 46
            mph reported by KORD ASOS as dust storm
            moved through.

0705 PM     Hail             1 W Belvidere           42.26N 88.86W
05/16/2025  M0.70 Inch       Boone              IL   Public

            Public report of dime size hail near
            Belvidere.

0708 PM     Dust Storm       Wheaton                 41.87N 88.11W
05/16/2025                   DuPage             IL   Public

            Around 1/4 mile visibility estimated in
            Wheaton as dust storm moved through.

0715 PM     Blowing Dust     1 SE Northfield         42.08N 87.76W
05/16/2025                   Cook               IL   Public

            Public report of visibility reduced to about
            half a mile in Northfield due to blowing
            dust. Time estimated by radar and satellite.

0719 PM     Blowing Dust     Palatine                42.11N 88.03W
05/16/2025                   Cook               IL   Fire Dept/Rescue

            3/4 mile visibility and a peak gust of 53
            mph reported in Palatine as dust storm moved
            through.


&&

$$

Photos


Elgin, Illinois. Photo courtesy of Patrick Corcoran.


Dust storm approaching Bloomington, Illinois. Photo courtesy of Jason Borchardt.	Dust storm in Bloomington, Illinois. Photo courtesy of Jason Borchardt.


NWS Chicago Office, Romeoville, Illinois.		Momence, Illinois. Photo courtesy of Kathy Kelly.

Lockport, Illinois. Photo courtesy of Stacey Kruse.

Photo series from a dash cam showing near zero visibility in the dust storm along I-65 south of Remington, Indiana. Photo courtesy of Josh Sanders.

Additional Information

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