Dust Storm — Piatt, Illinois

2025-05-16 · Piatt, Illinois

Event narrative

Interstate 74 was closed between Farmer City and Mansfield due to near zero visibility in blowing dust.

Wider weather episode

A nearly stationary frontal boundary draped along I-70 separated a warm, humid airmass to the south across the Ohio River Valley from a warm, but considerably drier airmass further north across much of central and northern Illinois on May 16th. Thunderstorms developed near the boundary during the afternoon and early evening, with the activity remaining largely south of I-72. Thanks to a very dry sub-cloud environment, developing showers to the north of the thunderstorms were able to mix higher momentum air from aloft down to the surface....resulting in 60-70 mph wind gusts well away from falling precipitation. The high momentum air began to pick up dry soil from open farm fields and created an impressive dust-storm as the afternoon progressed. The dust initially developed along a line from just southeast of Lincoln to south of Champaign. It then lifted north-northeastward and eventually spread all the way into the Chicago metro. Visibilities were reduced to near zero at times within the dust plume, prompting the closure of numerous roads and resulting in a few traffic accidents with injuries.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1251068. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.