In parts of Chicago, flash flood alerts rang Tuesday, warning of dangerous conditions as cars were stranded and submerged on highways and water rescues were conducted, but how much rain actually fell across the region and how fast did it all happen?
The actual totals will depend largely on where you live.
On a map showing the rainfall, a bullseye sat over a small portion of the city. One gauge west of Chicago’s United Center measured 5.12 inches of rain in 90 minutes, a rate the National Weather Service called “staggeringly high.”
Some of the heaviest rain fell across Chicago’s Humboldt Park, Garfield Park, and Austin neighborhoods.
The worst of the flooding occurred west of Interstate 90 and along the I-290 corridor, according to NWS, which said between 2 and 5 inches of rain fell within one to two hours.
In the Loop, 3.81 inches of rain fell. 3.5 inches of rain was recorded in Mokena, and 2.3 inches fell in Valparaiso, Indiana.
“The City of Chicago urges residents to prioritize safety during severe weather,” Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications said in a statement. “In Chicago viaducts, low roads and under passes are hot spots for flash flooding. If residents come across a flooded road: Never try to drive, walk or bike through it – seek an alternate route. You don’t know how deep the water is, how strong the current is and if there is any debris that can cause damage or injury.”
The flooding was sparked by a “stationary thunderstorm” that produced “torrential rain rates.”
But not everyone saw the wet weather.
“The northern counties barely saw anything over the last 24 hours,” NBC 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Alicia Roman said.
According to Roman, most of the Chicago area will remain mostly sunny and dry Wednesday, though some isolated, scattered showers or thundershowers could form around 1 p.m.
The areas that could see rain include Gary and Valparaiso in Indiana, and areas close to the lakefront in Illinois, Roman said.
The next best chance for showers and storms comes Friday, Roman said, with rain chances morning through evening.
“We could see heavy downpours with any storms that do develop,” Roman said, of Friday.
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