A dystopian ‘dust wall’ is hurtling towards us.
Chicago
— It’s so immense, you can see it from space.
Satellite imagery shows the
storm
devouring highways and structures, casting the metropolis of 2.6 million inhabitants into shadow.
It has set off visibility alerts, stopped traffic, and caused disruptions.
Chicago
residents choking on dust.
The National
Weather
Service (NWS) issued a
dust storm
This is only the second time in history it has occurred.
An urgent notification was dispatched to the smartphones of local residents, stating: “Prepare for an abrupt decrease to zero visibility. Move to the side, remain safe!”
The NWS said the dust extended along a 100-mile line from southwest of Chicago to northern Indiana, severely reducing visibility.
Emergency responders described ‘practically no visibility’ with wind gusts reaching up to 60 miles per hour.
The NWS Chicago office shared on social media: ‘Well, that was….. something’, emphasizing the unusual nature of the event.
Following several events throughout the night, authorities once more put out an advisory: ‘REFRAIN FROM TRAVELLING unless it is utterly essential, until the wind calms down.’
The storm took several hours to pass through Chicago, leaving residents caught off guard.
Prior and posterior images have been inundating social media platforms, highlighting the striking contrast.
Scientists from Colorado State University unveiled the day-by-day visuals showing changes captured by satellites, stating: “Absolutely astounding satellite images capturing a dust storm engulfing Chicago tonight.”
Senior meteorologist Mike Masco stated that this was Chicago’s ‘first-ever dust storm.’
The phenomenon is part of a severe weather system that has wreaked havoc across the Midwest.
It is thought that the storm is fueled by several elements such as powerful gusts and arid ground conditions.
The dusty air that Chicago residents breathed on Saturday consisted of fine soil from dried-out fields, lifted into the wind and transported over the city.
At least seven individuals lost their lives in Missouri on Friday as a result of tornadoes and intense thunderstorms.
Cara Spencer, the mayor of St. Louis, verified five fatalities in her city.
The severe storms resulted in significant destruction, causing more than 100,000 residents of St Louis to lose their electricity supply. First responders conducted building inspections to locate individuals who might be pinned down beneath debris.
People living in Kentucky, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, and Ohio have been advised to prepare for severe storms which might bring hail as large as baseballs.
The circumstances might get out of hand since the meteorological office warned about ‘potentially strong, lengthy tornadoes and extremely large hail.’
Moreover, the NSW cautioned that within the following 24 hours, the risk of increased and more intense winds reaching up to 75 mph would escalate.
Brian Siegel, a photographer, posted video of the swiftly moving dust storm, mentioning that it was the first instance he had ever seen of such an event in Chicago during his lifetime.
‘If you’re curious about how a dust storm appears in Chicago, let me tell you—it’s not just fog,’ he stated. ‘With the sun completely obscured, within five minutes of recording this clip, visibility dropped to nothing.’
‘That’s Lincoln Park with the lake behind it, and I was attempting to locate the Hancock Building at the end.’
‘Dust clogs my throat and stings my eyes. I haven’t encountered this before.’
Earlier this year, eight people were killed after
A dust storm led to a large multi-vehicle collision.
including 55 vehicles in Kansas.
Drone footage reveals the extent of the destruction, showing numerous trucks and vehicles crushed alongside each other.
The incident, which happened on a stretch of road called Interstate 70 between Goodland and Colby in Sherman County, was described by firefighter Brian James as the ‘most emotional draining experience in my 22 years of being in the fire service’.
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