More rainfall could be a factor decreasing risk in some areas, like the eastern U.S., but experts said flash droughts and heavy agricultural use mean that localized dust storms can swirl with little notice in these places and surprise drivers unfamiliar with these storms’ hazard.
“We had a prolonged event of dry warm weather for early April that dried off our top soil down to eight inches — dried it to dust,” said Trent Ford, the Illinois State Climatologist. “But the bottom layer retained moisture and Monday’s really strong winds made the top layer airborne. It was really an unfortunate location along one of the busiest highways.
“If you breathe particles of stuff in the air and it gets into your respiratory tract, in your lungs, it’s going to cause irritation whether it’s toxic or not,” Gill said. “It adds to the burden of air pollution.”