Latest news with #haboob
Forbes
17-05-2025
- Climate
- Forbes
A Dust Storm In Chicago? - Here's What We Know From Experts
A dust storm approaching Chicago from the south on May 16, 2025. May 16th, 2025 continues to be an interesting weather day and is keeping meteorologists like me on their toes. Earlier in the afternoon, tornadic storms impacts St. Louis, Missouri and now there is a Dust Storm Warning issued for Chicago, Illinois. Yes, Chicago. Dust storm warning for Chicago, Illinois on May 16, 2025. I did not believe it either until my friend Dr. Tom Gill started posting about it on his social media platforms. Gill is a professor at University of Texas - El Paso and is one of world's foremost experts on dust. At 6:04 p.m. local time, the National Weather Service in Chicago wrote, 'The dust storm continues to race northward at 60 mph and is expected to be entering the southern metro and I-80 within the next 10-15 minutes! New dust storm warning has been issued until 8 PM CDT. Use caution if traveling on area interstates in the warned area!'' Reports of blowing dust at Chicago Midway Airport on May 16th, 2025. Dr. Gill's post was even more illustrative. He posted, 'I never thought I'd be saying this before, but... there's a haboob moving into Chicago!' The Glossary of the American Meteorological Society defined a haboob as, 'An intense sand storm or dust storm caused by strong winds, with sand and/or dust often lofted to heights as high as 1500 m (~5000 ft), resulting in a 'wall of dust' along the leading edge of the haboob that can be visually stunning.' Thunderstorms south of Chicago on Friday evening. While interesting, it is apparently not unprecedented. A 2025 study documented a large dust storm in Illinois that occurred two years ago. That storm caused an 84-car pileup and led to fatalities. Occurring also in May, bare soil and dry conditions were a key factor in that 2023 storm. For this storm, my immediate hypothesis was related to dry conditions and outflow boundaries racing northward from thunderstorms to the south. Other colleagues throughout social media, including my UGA colleague Dr. John Knox, were offering similar hypothesis. University of South Alabama meteorologist Jordan McLeod also pointed out that there was a particularly strong pressure gradient at upper levels in the region that could have possibly mixed downward in what meteorologists refer to as a dry slot. The National Weather Service glossary defined a dry slot as, 'A zone of dry (and relatively cloud-free) air which wraps east- or northeastward into the southern and eastern parts of a synoptic scale or mesoscale low pressure system.' When the 'dust' settles, I will circle back with a more thorough analysis. Dry slot feature on May 16, 2025.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Poll: What is the strangest thing about New Mexico?
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – New Mexico is a unique place, and there are many things that make it stand out from the rest of the United States. KRQE asked viewers via social media what they thought was the strangest thing they've noticed about the Land of Enchantment. News 13 viewers say the strangest thing about New Mexico is the weather. New Mexico experiences a wide variety of weather phenomena, from haboobs to heavy snow. One of the most common weather patterns in the state is 'all the darn wind.' New Mexico often experiences powerful winds that fuel dust storms, wildfires, and blizzards, all due to changes in air pressure. The weather around New Mexico can also change on a whim, sometimes feeling like 'four seasons in a single day.' One viewer notes, 'You can ski at Ski Apache and sunbathe at White Sands on the same day.' Haboob blows over Deming on March 3, 2025 The Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire burns south of Las Vegas, N.M., Saturday, May 7, 2022 Las Vegas snow | Courtesy of Mark Montoya November 7, 2024 POLL: What are New Mexicans planting in their gardens this year? Another aspect of New Mexico that viewers consider strange is its wildlife. The state bird, the roadrunner, is fairly easy to spot, as their population has nearly doubled in the last 60 years. These 'cute but strange little creatures' typically run at 15 miles per hour, can consume venomous prey, and can only fly for short distances. Another common sight is the coyote. New Mexico is home to 16 subspecies, and they're more likely to be seen in winter. Porcupines have been known to roam the Bosque. While it has been incredibly rare to see one in New Mexico, Mexican wolves are beginning to return to their original habitat. 'Vinagaroons, weirdly wonderful little creatures,' also known as whip scorpions, are native to the area. Even a pelican has been spotted in Santa Fe. State bird: Chaparral, commonly called the 'roadrunner' | Photo Courtesy: NM Sec. of State Mexican Wolf | Courtesy: ABQ BioPark Coyote in New Mexico | Courtesy New Mexico Department of Game and Fish One strange phenomenon is synonymous with New Mexico: aliens. Roswell, in particular, has long been associated with 'many UFO crashes.' Many viewers describe their own supernatural encounters and unexplainable sights, typically seeing strange lights in the sky. The Very Large Array, an astronomy observatory in Socorro County, has been used multiple times as a filming location depicting extraterrestrial contact. A viewer calls it the 'quietest, most disconcerting thing I have ever seen. Love the science, but it's freaky.' The Very Large Array FILE – A sign directs travelers to the start of the '1947 UFO Crash Site Tours' in Roswell, N.M., June 10, 1997. (AP Photo/Eric Draper, File) From White Sands to Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico boasts a 'great variety of geography.' One viewer says, 'The strangest thing I've seen is the trees growing over by the Fire and Ice caves. So twisted and wildly beautiful. Another viewer mentioned the Four Corners Monument, the point where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah meet. White Sands | Adobe Stock Hundreds of cave formations are shown decorating the Big Room at Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Dec. 18, 2010. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan, File) Shiprock rock formation in the Four Corners region of the New Mexico desert. (Adobe Spark) Poll: Where is the best place to go hiking in New Mexico? Another unique feature: New Mexico is the only U.S. state (besides Georgia) to share a name with another country. Naturally, this leads to some confusion for Americans living outside the state. One viewer finds it 'strange that NM is the only state that requires the license plates to have USA on [them] because the rest of the country has no clue we are one of the 50 states.' KRQE New Mexico license plate | KRQE media file KRQE New Mexico license plate | KRQE media file KRQE New Mexico license plate | KRQE media file One thing that many viewers notice as strange about the Land of Enchantment is chile in or on top of most foods. The state question—'Red or green?'—is something every New Mexican has heard asked before. One viewer 'had to learn to order cheese pizza without green chili.' Another viewer mentions 'the apple pie. If you go to Pie Town, yes, an actual town, the pie has apple, green chile, and pine nuts. It's not bad, but green chile goes in everything there.' The chile industry has had an important impact on the economy of the state, as New Mexico is the nation's largest chile pepper grower. New Mexico is also the only state to have a state aroma, 'Green Chile Roasting in the Fall.' Another notable staple of New Mexican cuisine is the breakfast burrito. The breakfast burrito originated at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in the 1970s and can now be found almost anywhere in the state. One viewer wonders, 'Why is everyone obsessed with breakfast burritos?' Bosque Chile Fest Breakfast Burrito | Adobe Stock Poll: Who has the best burrito at the Balloon Fiesta? Every part of the U.S. has a distinct accent or dialect, and New Mexico is no different. One of the most commonly answered local lingo is adding the word 'all' before adjectives, like 'all crazy,' 'all funny,' 'all perfect,' etc. A viewer notices locals tend to say 'get down' from the car instead of 'get out.' ''Saven' is seven, 'elaven' is eleven, 'A la!' means 'Holy cow!' and every soda is a Coke,' says one viewer. Who can forget the tumbleweed snowman? Lack of snowfall leads to some creative solutions. This Albuquerque staple comes back every winter, and the tradition is starting to expand to other areas of the state, with a new addition in Socorro. The Albuquerque Metropolitan Arroyo Flood Control Authority put up its Tumbleweed Snowman on Nov. 28, 2023. (KRQE) Socorro tumbleweed snowman created by Jerry Gutierrez. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
