Toxic Dust Over Illinois: What You Inhaled During That Massive Storm

When a thick wall of dust rolled across Northern Illinois a little over a week ago, it looked like something out of a Mad Max movie. But beyond the apocalyptic vibes, experts say the real danger might be what was hiding inside that dust.

That Dust Cloud Over Northern Illinois Was More Than Just Dirty Wind

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Apparently, we've got a new vocabulary word to add to our Midwest weather bingo cards: haboob.

What the Haboob?

It sounds like something you'd yell during a sneeze, but it's actually the official term for an intense wall of dust, and one just swallowed up a large chunk of northern Illinois, including Chicago, on May 16.

READ MORE: 10 Worst Places to Take Shelter from Tornadoes

Not Just a Visibility Problem

Sure, driving through a sudden wall of brown with near-zero visibility is terrifying. But here's what really made me pause after reading up on this: what's actually in that dust?

READ MORE: The 1967 Belvidere Tornado That Shook Northern Illinois

Experts say it likely carried lead, farm chemicals (including pesticides), and fine particles that can aggravate asthma and other respiratory issues. One researcher said, in a recent post from independent.co.uk`,

I'm sure people will have some health issues after it.

You Can't Outrun a Haboob, but You Can Prepare

If we're starting to see Dust Bowl-level events in Illinois (yep, the first one of this magnitude in 91 years), it's worth being ready. Sign up for weather alerts, keep N95 masks handy, and maybe don't treat the next strange brown sky like a photo opp. Especially if you've got kids, asthma, or, you know, lungs.

This time it was dust. Next time? Who knows.