John Dwyer coordinates emergency management in Champaign County, Illinois. He’s seeing a lot more weather extremes, from tornadoes to a major dust storm, even as federal money to keep people safe seems poised to drop.By Alexia UnderwoodIn the middle of May, a rare, severe dust storm swept across the dry farmland of Central Illinois and headed in the direction of Chicago. Driver visibility on roads dropped to zero, and wind speeds rose to over 60 miles per hour.
Observations from the Little Bunker
Last updated: August 18, 2025 04:13 PM
Atmospheric CO₂
425.4 ppm
+18.4
ppm/year
Atmospheric CH₄
1934.91 ppb
+9.11
ppb/year
Global Temperature
+1.48 °C
Peak: +1.73°C
World Population
8.1 billion
+67
million/year