How A Rare Dust Storm Warning Affected Illinois Communities

Surprised by a Dust Storm Warning in Illinois

I was sitting on my couch on Friday when I saw an alert for a dust storm coming through my area.

I knew it was a windy day, but I had never heard of something like a dust storm.

Chicago Included in Unusual Dust Storm Alert

I later saw the news that Chicago was also included in the dust storm warning from the National Weather Service.

What Exactly Is a Dust Storm (Or Haboob)?

Weather.gov says dust storms, or Haboobs, as they are also known, can "occur anywhere in the United States but are most common in the Southwest."

They also say the storms come out of nowhere "in the form of an advancing wall of dust and debris which may be miles long and several thousand feet high."

Why Dust Storms Could Become More Common in Illinois

Dust storms mostly appear during this time of year and should probably be more prevalent in Illinois than they are, especially considering how flat the land is and the season.

A Rare Event: Dust Storm of This Size in Chicago

Here's what's even more unique about what had happened just a few days ago.

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.

What does this mean for the weather in Illinois in the future? Who knows. This might not be the last time your phone buzzes with a dust storm alert. Just make sure you have goggles handy.

LOOK: The most expensive weather and climate disasters in recent decades

Stacker ranked the most expensive climate disasters by the billions since 1980 by the total cost of all damages, adjusted for inflation, based on 2021 data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The list starts with Hurricane Sally, which caused $7.3 billion in damages in 2020, and ends with a devastating 2005 hurricane that caused $170 billion in damage and killed at least 1,833 people. Keep reading to discover the 50 of the most expensive climate disasters in recent decades in the U.S.

Gallery Credit: KATELYN LEBOFF

LOOK: The most extreme temperatures in the history of every state

Stacker consulted 2021 data from the NOAA's State Climate Extremes Committee (SCEC) to illustrate the hottest and coldest temperatures ever recorded in each state. Each slide also reveals the all-time highest 24-hour precipitation record and all-time highest 24-hour snowfall.

Keep reading to find out individual state records in alphabetical order.

Gallery Credit: Anuradha Varanasi