The Historic Chicago Dust Storm

Chicago experienced its first ever dust storm this week, and honestly, it wasn't that exciting.

Author

Conor Cawley
May 22, 2025

Chicago was hit with a dust storm last weekend, and despite all the enthralling pictures and hectic weather reports, this bout of “extreme weather” didn’t do much to get the ol’ heart racing.

We Settled for Some Dust

After a boring winter and a delayed spring, the dust storm was a bit of a snore.

At a family gathering in Old Town this weekend, I witnessed 15 smartphones collectively warn my cousins, aunts, uncles, parents, and wife that a dust storm would be hitting Chicago in a little under an hour.

The Chicago skyline disappearing in a cloud of boredom. Source: Conor Cawley

A dull panic swept through the group as the first dust clouds pushed through the skyscrapers of the Chicago skyline in the distance. Everyone started grabbing drinks, wrapping up charcuterie boards, and stacking the pristine white cushions inside to avoid the incoming insanity.

There was no insanity, though. The dust storm approached and yes, it got pretty windy and a bit dark for a few hours, and yes, if you wear contacts, you probably got a few pieces of dust in places you’d rather not have dust in.

But in Chicago, we’re used to far worse. We’re used to charts on the news that tell you how long you can be outside before you freeze to death. We’re used to snow storms that trap cars on Lake Shore Drive for a long weekend. We’re used to tornado watches and warnings that sway the Sears Tower far more than anyone is comfortable with.

The dust storm looked cool on the horizon, but when it settled, this extreme weather enthusiast was left with nothing more than a weird smell and disappointment.

Dad tips of the week

  • Bring a towel - To borrow the phrase from my favorite author, a towel is extremely versatile in parenthood, from wiping off a messy snack to drying a wet slide. 👍

  • Check those ratings - I accidentally introduced a Y7 Disney show to my daughter that she loved, but it was clearly beyond her years, and getting her to give it up was rough. 📺

  • Manage pet-spectations - Those TikTok videos of kids cuddling with cats are lies. Kids and cats do not get along. 🐈

Comic Spotlight

There are few people I’m more excited to see at any given show than Josh Ocean Thomas. In addition to being an almost frustratingly nice guy, his energy on stage is infectious, building on objectively funny jokes with a wacky vibe that solicits big laughs from virtually any room he graces.

Even more frustrating, he’s newer to comedy than many, with just a few years under his belt, but he did cut his teeth at a young age as a stage magician, which certainly contributes to his impressive comfort on stage.

If you want to see Josh, you’re in luck, because he is a stage time machine, running shows at both Kibbitznest and Bad Coffee, and he regularly performs at the Laugh Factory, so check him out anywhere!

The NBA Parity Party

The NBA will see seven different champions in the last seven years, and that’s pretty cool.

With the elimination of the Denver Nuggets from the NBA playoffs, it’s official: there will be another new champion in the league for the seventh year in a row.

Even better, there’s a 75% chance we get a first-time champion this year, with the Timberwolves, Pacers, and Thunder all ring-less in their varied histories. On top of that, the Knicks haven’t won in 52 years, which is longer than the existence of the Timberwolves and the Thunder combined. All that to say, we’re going to get a very happy fanbase at the end of the NBA season.

On the topic of parity, though, it’s something I root for across the sports spectrum. As a life-long Cubs fan, I can attest to the elation that winning a championship brings about after years of strife, and while dynasties are fun for some, a bit of variety through parity is fun for all.

 

What I’m consuming this week

Honestly, it’s like two games in one. Source: Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Assassin’s Creed Shadows, PS5

If you’re a loyal Conor Intelligence Agent (oh yeah, we’re leaning into the name), you know that I’ve already written about playing the most recent installment of the AC franchise. However, if you don’t play, you might not know that there are, in fact, two games within this expansive edition.

Of course, the game features an massive world and storyline that encourages you to assassinate, stealthily and otherwise, a variety of bad guys in Feudal Japan. But on top of that, Assassin’s Creed Shadows gifts players with a homebase that you can customize extensively, and I am, in so many words, obsessed.

As someone that used to play The Sims with fervor growing up, I am currently splitting time between the actual Assassin’s Creed game and this dojo makeover engine, laboring over the placement of every rock, every bush, and every lion statue. The enemies of justice, from Kyoto to Yamato, get a lengthy reprieve on a consistent basis, because my assassin is at home tending to the Zen garden.

All that to say, video games aren’t just about violence. Sometimes, they’re about interior and exterior design. And even better, they aren’t mutually exclusive.

Alas, the end!

This week almost didn’t happen, but alas, we made it to the end together.

Here we are at the end of another edition of Conor Intelligence. Honestly, I was thinking about skipping this week, because my mental health has been a bit meh, but I’m glad I pushed through and I hope you are too.

You know what’s great for my mental health? Subscribing to the newsletter and sharing my stuff with someone you love, so maybe try that!