Flash flood warning issued as heavy rain hits Chicago area
A flash flood warning was issued for several hours Tuesday night as a persistent, heavy rainstorm drenched the city of Chicago.
The warning affected a narrow, but densely populated area that included downtown Chicago. Flash flooding was seen from the downtown area through the West Side along the Eisenhower Expressway to Oak Park, as the slow-moving storm hovered stubbornly over the area, News.Az reports, citing CBS News.
The storm Tuesday night started with some pop-up thunderstorms during the 8 p.m. hour, and turned into the messy, sluggish storm that took some by surprise.
A Flash Flood Warning means streets, underpasses, and other low-lying areas could flood rapidly, and this was exactly what happened.
The situation grew more and more serious as the night went on. Roads, interstates, and viaducts flooded, and water rescues had to be made at multiple locations on the West Side. Early on during the storms, rescues were made at Western and Ogden avenues and at Ashland Avenue and Kinzie Street.
Flooding was reported at multiple locations beneath the Metra viaduct at Kinzie Street on the West Side. At the Metra viaduct at Western Avenue and Kinzie Street, the Fire Department was seen rescuing someone from the roof of an Audi.
Basement flooding and other flooding issues were also expected.
Rain was falling at a rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour. The West Side got inundated in particular — including Homan Square, Douglass Park, and Tri-Taylor.
More than 5 inches of rain fell in a period of 90 minutes in the area of the United Center. In the area of Douglass Park, 6.6 inches fell.
There were reports that the Illinois Department of Transportation was going to close the local lanes on the Dan Ryan Expressway between 18th and 31st streets due to flooding.
A Teddy Swims concert at the Huntington Bank Pavilion was evacuated Tuesday evening as the storms blew in.
Storms also hit the north lakefront through Lincoln Park, Lakeview/North Center, and Edgewater Tuesday night, but severe flooding was not seen in those areas compared with the West Side.
The warning was in effect until 11:45 p.m.
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