NWS: Friday dust storm could be referred to as 'Haboob'
CHICAGO, Ill. (WCIA) – The National Weather Service in Chicago says they believe yesterday's rare and powerful dust storm across Central and Northern Illinois could be classified as a 'Haboob' based on how things played out.
A Haboob is an intense dust storm caused by strong winds lofting a wall of dust as high as 5,000 feet, leading to a significant reduction in visibility and an increase in wind speed following the passage of the leading edge of the haboob. They also usually lead to blowing dust that lasts for tens of minutes or even several hours.
Typically, Haboobs occur in desert and semi-arid areas, but an extremely unique combination of ingredients with very dry air aloft caused intense downbursts to crash to the ground well ahead of storms combined with low relative humidity, low soil moisture and farming activity that regularly occurs at this time of year.
This dust storm/haboob was a wall of dust running east-west that stretched from along I-55 and I-39 near Bloomington all the way into Western Indiana, lifting north quickly and making it all the way into Lake Michigan.
Top wind gusts included 78 mph on Lake Michigan by Chicago, 75mph in Oxford, IN, 69 mph at Willard Airport, 64 mph in South Chicago, 61 mph in Decatur, 60 mph at Midway Airport and 55 mph in Joliet.
It was the first time the National Weather Service Office in Chicago had issued a dust storm warning for the city. They issued a total of four dust storm warnings. The last time they issued a dust storm warning for their county warning area was on May 7th, 2023 for parts of Ford, Livingston and Iroquois Counties.
The National Weather Service in Lincoln has issued dust storm warnings before. There's been a number of dust storm warnings used since a massive fiery pile-up killed 8 people on I-55 south of Springfield in 2023.
STORY: 'This was a very rare and catastrophic event for the state:' NWS, ISP reflect on deadly I-55 dust storm crash'
The dust storm caused many crashes and a few pile-ups, including some on I-55, I-74, US-136, IL-10 and IL-165 in Central Illinois according to state police and local fire departments.
State Police closed part of I-74 west of Farmer City for a period of time to respond to the crashes Friday evening. It has since reopened.
One crash west of Fisher sent 4 people to the hospital. Officials in Ford County also responded to a 7 vehicle pile-up on IL 165 west of Sibley involving a tow truck, 5 cars and an RV. No one was hurt there.
The last time Chicago was impacted by such a significant dust storm was during the Dust Bowl on May 10th, 1934.
Photo Below: Kim Schmidt from Chicago during the dust and what her view normally looks like.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
38 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Summer season weather phenomena: waterspouts and waterspout safety
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) – As we move into the summer months, we enter waterspout season. Waterspouts can be simply described as tornadoes that form over water. They fall into two main categories: fair-weather waterspouts and tornadic waterspouts. Tornadic Waterspouts Tornadic waterspouts are essentially tornadoes that occur over water. They either form directly over the water or begin as land-based tornadoes that move offshore. Like their land counterparts, tornadic waterspouts are associated with severe thunderstorms and are often accompanied by heavy rain, lightning, strong winds and turbulent conditions. Fair Weather Waterspouts Fair-weather waterspouts form during calm, quiet conditions—typically in the summer months, especially morning through early afternoon. Unlike tornadic waterspouts, these develop from the surface of the water upward, often triggered by the interaction between land and sea breezes, which creates the necessary upward motion. Fair-weather waterspouts tend to remain nearly stationary, but if one moves onshore, a tornado warning may be issued. While generally less dangerous than tornadic waterspouts, they can still be hazardous, appearing suddenly on otherwise calm weather days. There are five stages of fair weather waterspouts: Dark Spot: A lighter colored disk shape appears over the water with a darker colored disk shape around it. Spiral Pattern: A pattern of light and dark colored bands spiraling out of the dark spot can be seen. Spray Ring: A dense swirling ring of sea spray forms around the dark spot Mature Vortex: The waterspout forms from water to cloud. This vortex can rise to a height of several hundred feet or more. Decay: The vortex dissipates as the warm air flow weakens. How Waterspouts are Forecasted Meteorologists assess factors like water temperature, air temperature, moisture and wind speed to determine the likelihood of waterspout formation. Fair-weather waterspouts typically develop when water temperatures are warm, the air above is cool and moist and winds are light. This creates ideal conditions for instability and upward motion. In contrast, tornadic waterspouts occur during severe weather events, often forming within strong thunderstorms. When a waterspout is detected, the National Weather Service issues a Special Marine Warning to alert those on or near the water. If a waterspout is expected to move onshore, a Tornado Warning is issued for the affected land area. Safety Since fair-weather waterspouts can occur at any time during the summer, keeping an eye on the sky is a good safety habit. They are often associated with cumulus clouds, especially those with a dark, flat base. Tornadic waterspouts, on the other hand, occur during severe weather events. If you spot a waterspout, never head toward it. Treat it like a tornado: move away at a 90-degree angle from its path. Waterspouts can be unpredictable and dangerous, even on otherwise calm days. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Picking up the pieces — Community shows up to support tornado victims
A tornado confirmed by the National Weather Service has devastated a family farm in Wattsburg, Pennsylvania, leaving the community rallying to assist in recovery efforts. The EF2 tornado struck the Seabury farm, causing significant damage and resulting in the loss of two horses. Volunteers from across the county and beyond have come together to help clean up and support the family in their time of need. The Seabury family took cover in their basement as the storm approached, as windows were blown out and cracks began to form on the interior walls. The aftermath revealed their farm decimated by the tornado. 'Me and my family, we worked to keep this farm running and every single day I've been out here, my whole life. It's been a real staple and to come home and see everything absolutely demolished is just really surreal,' said Nolan Seabury, son of the property owners. National Weather Service confirms EF2 tornado in Erie County Hundreds of volunteers have arrived with trucks, trailers, wood chippers, and disaster relief vehicles to assist in the cleanup efforts. They are picking up debris, cutting fallen trees, and providing essential supplies like food, water, and generators. Penelec crews have been working to repair power lines and install new utility poles to restore electricity to the area. 'In such a dark time it was really comforting and brought a lot of joy knowing my community really does have my back. We always try to be our best people, and it makes us to feel good that people are here to support us,' Nolan Seabury added. A volunteer group called 'All One' has mobilized to provide additional support, including cooking meals for workers and offering internet and electricity. They just a few of the many people doing their part. Logan Eschrich from All One Disaster Response commented, 'We also do disaster relief kits similar to the Red Cross and Salvation Army. We focus on a lot of small towns with the truck because sometimes small towns don't get looked at if there's a larger population affected.' WATCH: National Weather Service Cleveland in Erie Co. to investigate storm damage The community's response has been a beacon of hope for the Seabury family, demonstrating solidarity and support in the face of disaster. Efforts continue to restore the farm and aid the family in rebuilding their lives. The farm faces up to $100,000 in uninsured damages, and a GoFundMe page has been set up to help with recovery costs. All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by WJET/WFXP. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by WJET/WFXP staff before being published. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
How many tornadoes has Missouri had this year so far?
MISSOURI — If it seems like Missouri has already had an unusually high number of tornadoes this year, you are correct. The state of Missouri has already seen double the yearly average of tornadoes only halfway through the year, according to the National Weather Service. The NWS shared on X that the state has had a very active weather season, with 43 tornadoes already accounted for so far. This number is two times more than the yearly average of 21.5 tornadoes while only half through 2025. At-large murder suspect arrested after wild crash in north St. Louis The majority of these tornadoes were rated EF-1 tornadoes with 86 to 110 mile-per-hour winds, making up 20 of the tornadoes experienced across the state. EF-0 tornadoes with 65 to 85 mile per hour winds have been seen 10 times already in Missouri. The state has also had nine EF-2 tornadoes with 111 to 135 miles per hour winds and three EF-3 tornadoes with 136 to 165 miles per hour winds. Missouri has only had one tornado with an unknown tornado rating, leaving no damage to rate. Compared to previous years, in 2024 the state had 47 tornadoes in total. The NWS reports other active years include 2006, when the state saw 75 tornadoes. FOX 2 Severe Weather Specialist Chris Higgins said one big clue for this year's active severe weather season can actually be found in the Pacific Ocean. The possible cause: the slowly fading La Niña in the central Pacific Ocean. The cold water associated with La Niña and a warmer-than-normal pocket further north up towards Alaska enhance the northern branch of the jet stream. That branch of the jet stream is a key contributor to the wind energy needed for an active severe weather season across the Midwest. That wind energy helps contribute to storm rotation, and rotating storms produce our most violent severe storms. The active jet stream has supplied a constant flow of triggers, which is why severe weather events have come at somewhat regular intervals since March. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
