A rare dust storm swept through the Chicago area on Friday, resulting in the city’s first-ever dust storm warning. The storm, described as a “wall of dust,” hit primarily the South Side around 6:40 p.m., coinciding with gusty winds reaching up to 60 mph. The National Weather Service reported that Midway Airport registered a 59 mph gust, leading to visibility plummeting to approximately a quarter-mile.
The extreme weather came amid a system that also spawned at least one deadly tornado in Missouri, raising concerns across the region. While dust storms are not common in Chicago, a warning was previously issued on May 7, 2023, for an area outside the metropolitan zone. On social media platform X, the Chicago weather office remarked on the unusual event, stating, “Well that was…..something.”
Fortunately, by 7:40 p.m., the dust storm began to ease, with visibility starting to improve, although conditions were still suboptimal. The rapid onset and intensity of the storm caught many residents off guard, highlighting the unpredictable nature of severe weather patterns. The event serves as a reminder of the potential impact of high winds and storm systems on urban areas typically unaccustomed to such phenomena.
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