May 17 Dust Storm

A very rare dust storm affected central Illinois from the mid afternoon through mid evening hours on Wednesday, May 17. Several factors combined to produce significant blowing dust, which reduced visibility to near zero for several hours in open areas.  The low visibility caused numerous traffic accidents and closures of interstates including I-72 from Jacksonville to Springfield, and I-74 from McLean to near Bloomington, as well as numerous state routes across the central part of the state. 

• Winds gusted to 40 to 50 MPH due to a tight pressure gradient resulting from 991 mb low pressure tracking from northeast Nebraska towards southern Minnesota.
• Dry topsoil conditions resulted from little to no rain across the affected area in the past 6 days.  See image below, left.  
• Several days of strong sunshine and gusty winds preceding the event further dried the top few inches of soil.  
• Crops have not yet emerged, with bare soil over much of the area.  Note yellow colors denoting lack of vegetation in image below, right. 
   

Percent of Normal Rainfall, May 12-17	NDVI Image Showing Vegetation Greenness

Near Warrensburg (Macon Co.) Courtesy of Paul Hadfield	Near Ashland (Cass Co.) Courtesy of Ruby Hupp

Dust Storm and Wind Gust Reports:

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
838 PM CDT WED MAY 17 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0340 PM     DUST STORM       2 S SPRINGFIELD         39.75N 89.64W 
05/17/2017                   SANGAMON           IL   EMERGENCY MNGR  

            PORTIONS OF I-72 ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF SPRINGFIELD CLOSED 
            DUE TO SEVERAL TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS FROM BLOWING DUST. 
            VISIBILITY REPORTED LESS THAN ONE QUARTER MILE.

0430 PM     DUST STORM       NEW BERLIN              39.73N 89.91W 
05/17/2017                   SANGAMON           IL   EMERGENCY MNGR  

            I-72 NEAR NEW BERLIN CLOSED DUE TO TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS FROM
            DUST STORM

0440 PM     DUST STORM       2 E AUBURN              39.58N 89.71W 
05/17/2017                   SANGAMON           IL   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS

            IL-104 BETWEEN I-55 AND AUBURN CLOSED DUE TO LOW 
            VISIBILITY FROM DUST STORM

0500 PM     DUST STORM       2 E TUSCOLA             39.80N 88.24W 
05/17/2017                   DOUGLAS            IL   EMERGENCY MNGR  

            SEMI AND 6 CARS INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT ON RT. 36 DUE TO 
            ZERO VISIBILITY IN BLOWING DUST.

0520 PM     DUST STORM       MCLEAN                  40.32N 89.17W 
05/17/2017                   MCLEAN             IL   LAW ENFORCEMENT 

            I-55 LANE CLOSURES NEAR MCLEAN DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY 
            FROM BLOWING DUST

0730 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG 3 NNE PEORIA            40.79N 89.59W 
05/17/2017                   PEORIA             IL   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            LARGE TREE BLOWN DOWN ACROSS N. GRAND BLVD.

0732 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG ST. DAVID               40.49N 90.05W 
05/17/2017                   FULTON             IL   EMERGENCY MNGR  

            LARGE TREE BLOWN DOWN

0509 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 2 SW SAVOY              40.04N 88.28W
05/17/2017  M49 MPH          CHAMPAIGN          IL   ASOS             

            ASOS STATION CMI, U OF IL WILLARD AP. 

0431 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 4 SE PINKSTAFF          38.76N 87.61W
05/17/2017  M47 MPH          LAWRENCE           IL   ASOS             

            ASOS STATION LWV, LAWRENCEVILLE AP. 

0550 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 2 NNW LONG CREEK        39.83N 88.87W
05/17/2017  M47 MPH          MACON              IL   ASOS             

            ASOS STATION DEC, DECATUR AP. 

0331 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 2 SW SAVOY              40.04N 88.28W
05/17/2017  M46 MPH          CHAMPAIGN          IL   ASOS             

            ASOS STATION CMI, U OF IL WILLARD AP. 

0355 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 5 NNW SPRINGFIELD       39.84N 89.68W
05/17/2017  M45 MPH          SANGAMON           IL   ASOS             

            ASOS STATION SPI, SPRINGFIELD CAPITAL AP. 

0342 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 2 NNW LONG CREEK        39.83N 88.87W
05/17/2017  M45 MPH          MACON              IL   ASOS             

            ASOS STATION DEC, DECATUR AP. 

0410 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 SSW BELLEVUE          40.67N 89.68W
05/17/2017  M44 MPH          PEORIA             IL   ASOS             

            ASOS STATION PIA, PEORIA INTL AP. 

0130 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 4 SE PINKSTAFF          38.76N 87.61W
05/17/2017  M44 MPH          LAWRENCE           IL   ASOS             

            ASOS STATION LWV, LAWRENCEVILLE AP. 

0215 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 5 NNW SPRINGFIELD       39.84N 89.68W
05/17/2017  M44 MPH          SANGAMON           IL   ASOS             

            ASOS STATION SPI, SPRINGFIELD CAPITAL AP. 

0125 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 4 N LERNA               39.48N 88.28W
05/17/2017  M41 MPH          COLES              IL   ASOS             

            ASOS STATION MTO, COLES COUNTY MEM AP. 

0249 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 SSW BELLEVUE          40.67N 89.68W
05/17/2017  M40 MPH          PEORIA             IL   ASOS             

            ASOS STATION PIA, PEORIA INTL AP. 

0615 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 SE RANTOUL            40.29N 88.14W
05/17/2017  M45 MPH          CHAMPAIGN          IL   AWOS             

            AWOS STATION TIP, RANTOUL NATL AVIATION CTR. 

0445 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 3 E BLOOMINGTON         40.48N 88.92W
05/17/2017  M45 MPH          MCLEAN             IL   AWOS             

            AWOS STATION BMI, CENTRAL ILLINOIS RGL AP. 

0338 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 3 E BLOOMINGTON         40.48N 88.92W
05/17/2017  M44 MPH          MCLEAN             IL   AWOS             

            AWOS STATION BMI, CENTRAL ILLINOIS RGL AP. 

1035 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 ESE FLORA             38.66N 88.45W
05/17/2017  M43 MPH          CLAY               IL   AWOS             

            AWOS STATION FOA, FLORA MUNICIPAL AP. 

1015 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 4 WNW SAINT FRANCISVILL 38.61N 87.73W
05/17/2017  M41 MPH          LAWRENCE           IL   AWOS             

            AWOS STATION AJG, MT CARMEL AP. 

0335 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 SE RANTOUL            40.29N 88.14W
05/17/2017  M41 MPH          CHAMPAIGN          IL   AWOS             

            AWOS STATION TIP, RANTOUL NATL AVIATION CTR. 

0355 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 2 ENE LINCOLN           40.16N 89.34W
05/17/2017  M41 MPH          LOGAN              IL   AWOS             

            AWOS STATION AAA, LOGAN COUNTY AP. 

0415 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 3 N JACKSONVILLE        39.77N 90.24W
05/17/2017  M40 MPH          MORGAN             IL   AWOS             

            AWOS STATION IJX, JACKSONVILLE MUNI AP. 

0635 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 3 WSW GALESBURG         40.94N 90.43W
05/17/2017  M40 MPH          KNOX               IL   AWOS             

            AWOS STATION GBG, GALESBURG MUNI AP. 

1155 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 2 WNW PALESTINE         39.02N 87.65W
05/17/2017  M40 MPH          CRAWFORD           IL   AWOS             

            AWOS STATION RSV, CRAWFORD COUNTY AP. 

1255 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 4 NNE DANVILLE          40.20N 87.60W
05/17/2017  M40 MPH          VERMILION          IL   AWOS             

            AWOS STATION DNV, VERMILION RGL AP. 

0355 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 4 SSE EDGAR             39.70N 87.67W
05/17/2017  M40 MPH          EDGAR              IL   AWOS             

            AWOS STATION PRG, EDGAR COUNTY AP. 

0355 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 4 WNW TAYLORVILLE       39.53N 89.33W
05/17/2017  M40 MPH          CHRISTIAN          IL   AWOS             

            AWOS STATION TAZ, TAYLORVILLE MUNI AP. 

0515 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 E LACON               41.02N 89.39W
05/17/2017  M39 MPH          MARSHALL           IL   AWOS             

            AWOS STATION C75, MARSHALL COUNTY AP. 

1135 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 3 ENE NOBLE             38.72N 88.18W
05/17/2017  M38 MPH          RICHLAND           IL   AWOS             

            AWOS STATION OLY, OLNEY NOBLE AP. 

0335 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 3 N JACKSONVILLE        39.77N 90.24W
05/17/2017  M37 MPH          MORGAN             IL   AWOS             

            AWOS STATION IJX, JACKSONVILLE MUNI AP. 

0355 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 E LACON               41.02N 89.39W
05/17/2017  M37 MPH          MARSHALL           IL   AWOS             

            AWOS STATION C75, MARSHALL COUNTY AP. 

0355 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 3 WSW GALESBURG         40.94N 90.43W
05/17/2017  M37 MPH          KNOX               IL   AWOS             

            AWOS STATION GBG, GALESBURG MUNI AP. 

1115 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 ENE HEARTVILLE        39.07N 88.53W
05/17/2017  M36 MPH          EFFINGHAM          IL   AWOS             

            AWOS STATION 1H2, EFFINGHAM COUNTY MEM AP.