Illinois dust storm tracker: Avoid these streets in Chicago, Naperville and Bloomington

Illinois officials warned locals about a dust storm that hit Chicago on Friday

Updated on: May 17, 2025, 05:22:21 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Illinois officials warned locals about a dust storm that hit Chicago on Friday. According to the National Weather Service, dust storm warnings were in effect for several Chicago-area counties. The warning remains in effect until 8 PM local time for Kendall, northern LaSalle, northwestern Will, and southern DeKalb in Illinois.

A dust storm hit Chicago, Illinois on Friday (Unsplash)

Meanwhile, officials warned about near 0 visibility in Bloombington. Several accidents were reported.

"Near 0 visibility in places with several accidents reported on I-55. I-55, south of Bloomington, and I-74 near Leroy are CLOSED with closure expansions anticipated. DO NOT TRAVEL unless absolutely necessary, until winds subside," officials warned.

Avoid these streets in Chicago, Illinois

I-39 between mile markers 66 and 77

I-55 between mile markers 250 and 269

I-57 between mile markers 339 and 358

I-80 between mile markers 124 and 155

I-90 between mile markers 104 and 107

I-94 between mile markers 62 and 74

I-294 between mile markers 62 and 74

I-355 between mile markers 1 and 14

Indiana I-80 between mile markers 1 and 16

Indiana I-90 between mile markers 1 and 37

Indiana I-94 between mile markers 16 and 32

Indiana I-65 between mile markers 254 and 261

I-55 between mile markers 270 and 294

I-88 between mile markers 96 and 140

I-90 between mile markers 42 and 103

I-94 between mile markers 26 and 61

I-290 between mile markers 1 and 29

I-294 between mile markers 26 and 61

I-355 near mile marker 12, and between mile markers 15 and 30

“Dust storms lead to dangerous driving conditions with visibility reduced to near zero. If driving, avoid dust storms if possible. If caught in one, then pull off the road, turn off your lights and keep your foot off the brake,” the NWS said in its press release.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

Stay updated with US News covering politics, crime, weather, local events, and sports highlights. Get the latest on Donald Trump and American politics along with Horoscope 2026.