Heavy rains fell across northern Illinois over the weekend. The most impressive rains fell in the Chicago area with record rainfall at Chicago O’Hare on October 14 at 4.19″ and the NWS site near Midway Airport reporting 5.11″. Other sites with large amounts include the NWS COOP site at Glen Ellyn with 11.25″, and the CoCoRaHS sites at Burr Ridge (IL-CK-254) with 9.30″, Downers Grove (IL-DP-127) with 8.35″, and two sites in Lisle with 8.21″ (IL-DP-86) and 8.16″ (IL-DP-30). More rainfall totals are listed below.
The heavy rains resulted in numerous reports of street and road flooding. The eastbound left lane of I-80/90 was flooded at mile marker 3. Law enforcement in Naperville reported, “numerous roads in the city flooded”. Some thunderstorms produced pea size hail as well as caused wind damage (NWS Local Storm Reports listed below). According to the WGN-TV, boat tours on the Chicago River were canceled on Saturday. The Chicago River Walk was closed because you would literally be walking in the river (not the original intent of river walks, by the way). Other cities had similar experiences with parks and river walks.
Here is the graphic from the Chicago NWS page on the storm summarizing the records for Chicago.
Here is the radar/rain-gage estimated precipitation for the 24-hour rainfall ending Sunday morning, which captures most of the rainfall over the weekend. At O’Hare, the rainfall began around 3 am on October 14 and continued through 7 am on October 15. Most of the rain fell on the 14th.
Two-Day rainfall totals from the Chicago NWS office Public Information Statement:
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL 1022 AM CDT SUN OCT 15 2017 ...2-DAY RAINFALL ROUND-UP... THE FOLLOWING ARE RAINFALL AMOUNTS FOR THE PREVIOUS 2 DAYS AS MEASURED IN THE MORNING BY NWS COOPERATIVE OBSERVERS AND COCORAHS OBSERVERS. OBSERVATIONS ARE USUALLY TAKEN AT 7 AM. 2-DAY RAIN TOTALS FOR SUNDAY (10/15/17) AS OF 10:22 AM CDT ILLINOIS 2-DAY RAINFALL LOCATION (COUNTY): AMT(IN) REPORTS BURR RIDGE 1ESE (COOK).......................9.30 (2) LISLE (DU PAGE)..............................8.16 (2) SOMONAUK 2NE (DE KALB).......................8.09 (2) NAPERVILLE 2ESE (DU PAGE)....................7.98 (2) AURORA (KANE)................................7.72 (2) AURORA 4SE (DU PAGE).........................7.66 (2) AURORA 4SE (DU PAGE).........................7.50 (2) MONTGOMERY 1SSE (KENDALL)....................7.43 (2) WESTMONT (DU PAGE)...........................7.25 (2) OAK PARK 1NNE (COOK).........................7.13 (2) DOWNERS GROVE 1S (DU PAGE)...................7.10 (2) GLEN ELLYN 2SSE (DU PAGE)....................6.95 (2) SOMONAUK (DE KALB)...........................6.89 (2) EARLVILLE 3S (LA SALLE)......................6.85 (2) NAPERVILLE 4SSW (WILL).......................6.77 (2) OAK PARK 2S (COOK)...........................6.73 (2) CHICAGO 6ESE (COOK)..........................6.49 (2) NORTH AURORA 2NE (KANE)......................6.48 (2) MENDOTA (LA SALLE)...........................6.44 (2) EARLVILLE 5NNE (DE KALB).....................6.16 (2) ELMHURST 1ESE (DU PAGE)......................6.14 (2) CHICAGO 5NE (COOK)...........................6.07 (2) BURR RIDGE 2SW (DU PAGE).....................6.00 (2) SUGAR GROVE 1ENE (KANE)......................5.86 (2) GLEN ELLYN 1WSW (DU PAGE)....................5.86 (2) ST. CHARLES (KANE)...........................5.85 (2) MENDOTA (LA SALLE)...........................5.78 (2) SUGAR GROVE 1NE (KANE).......................5.74 (2) BRIDGEVIEW 1NNW (COOK).......................5.63 (2) BATAVIA 1WSW (KANE)..........................5.55 (2) MIDWAY COOP (COOK)...........................5.41 (2) BATAVIA (KANE)...............................5.34 (2) AURORA (KANE)................................5.30 (2) YORKVILLE 2SSE (KENDALL).....................5.25 (2) LOMBARD 1NNW (DU PAGE).......................5.10 (2) BATAVIA 2WNW (KANE)..........................5.06 (2) PLAINFIELD (WILL)............................5.05 (2) BATAVIA 1WNW (KANE)..........................5.02 (2) OSWEGO 5SSE (KENDALL)........................5.00 (2) GENEVA 1SSW (KANE)...........................4.88 (2) OAK LAWN 2SE (COOK)..........................4.78 (2) ELBURN (KANE)................................4.77 (2) WHEATON 2NNE (DU PAGE).......................4.75 (2) LEMONT (COOK)................................4.74 (2) OAK LAWN (COOK)..............................4.74 (2) DE KALB (DE KALB)............................4.63 (2) LONG GROVE 1NNE (LAKE).......................4.59 (2) WILLOW SPRINGS (COOK)........................4.58 (2) LAKE FOREST 2NNE (LAKE)......................4.54 (2) LINCOLNWOOD 2E (COOK)........................4.54 (2) EVANSTON 1N (COOK)...........................4.49 (2) PLAINFIELD 5SW (KENDALL).....................4.40 (2) PLAINFIELD 3ESE (WILL).......................4.39 (2) OHARE (COOK).................................4.39 (2) PLAINFIELD 3SE (WILL)........................4.38 (2) SCHAUMBURG 2E (COOK).........................4.38 (2) CAROL STREAM (DU PAGE).......................4.35 (2) ROMEOVILLE (WILL)............................4.34 (2) LINCOLNSHIRE 1N (LAKE).......................4.28 (2) GLENCOE (COOK)...............................4.27 (2) CHICAGO RIDGE (COOK).........................4.26 (2) ROMEOVILLE (WILL)............................4.25 (2) HIGHWOOD 1S (LAKE)...........................4.25 (2) PARK RIDGE 1WNW (COOK).......................4.24 (2) DE KALB (DE KALB)............................4.23 (2) BUFFALO GROVE 2N (LAKE)......................4.21 (2) PLAINFIELD 2SSE (WILL).......................4.19 (2) PALOS PARK 1SW (COOK)........................4.19 (2) JOLIET 2N (WILL).............................4.18 (2) ARLINGTON HEIGHTS 1SW (COOK).................4.17 (2) ELK GROVE VILLAGE 2WSW (COOK)................4.13 (2) BURNHAM-HEGEWISCH 2NNW (COOK)................4.09 (2) STEWARD (LEE)................................4.07 (2) WEST CHICAGO (DU PAGE).......................4.07 (2) BOTANIC GARDENS (COOK).......................4.05 (2) LAKE ZURICH (LAKE)...........................4.05 (2) ARLINGTON HEIGHTS 3SSW (COOK)................4.05 (2) DE KALB 1SW (DE KALB)........................4.00 (2) WORTH (COOK).................................4.00 (2) HOMER GLEN 1ENE (WILL).......................3.99 (2) LOCKPORT 1SE (WILL)..........................3.98 (2) SHERIDAN 3SSE (LA SALLE).....................3.94 (2) HOFFMAN ESTATES 5W (COOK)....................3.92 (2) BARRINGTON (LAKE)............................3.88 (2) ELGIN 8WSW (KANE)............................3.82 (2) CORTLAND (DE KALB)...........................3.79 (2) STREAMWOOD (COOK)............................3.77 (2) LAKE BLUFF 1W (LAKE).........................3.76 (2) ROCHELLE (OGLE)..............................3.74 (2) ELGIN 1S (KANE)..............................3.62 (2) ELGIN (KANE).................................3.62 (2) WAUKEGAN 2N (LAKE)...........................3.57 (2) WHEELING (COOK)..............................3.55 (2) PARK FOREST (COOK)...........................3.55 (2) ELGIN 2WNW (KANE)............................3.51 (2) MORRIS 5NNW (GRUNDY).........................3.51 (2) PALATINE 1E (COOK)...........................3.48 (2) PARK FOREST 1NNE (COOK)......................3.45 (2) MARSEILLES 5WNW (LA SALLE)...................3.43 (2) ELGIN 2W (KANE)..............................3.41 (2) NEW LENOX 2SE (WILL).........................3.40 (2) CRYSTAL LAKE 5ENE (MCHENRY)..................3.39 (2) HOMEWOOD (COOK)..............................3.39 (2) ELGIN (KANE).................................3.36 (2) ASHTON (LEE).................................3.32 (2) ST. CHARLES 6NW (KANE).......................3.31 (2) MINOOKA (GRUNDY).............................3.31 (2) NEW LENOX 3E (WILL)..........................3.28 (2) COAL CITY 3N (GRUNDY)........................3.27 (2) ALSIP (COOK).................................3.25 (2) MANHATTAN 2SE (WILL).........................3.24 (2) ELWOOD 5NE (WILL)............................3.24 (2) GENOA (DE KALB)..............................3.22 (2) MUNDELEIN (LAKE).............................3.19 (2) MIDLOTHIAN (COOK)............................3.19 (2) CARBON HILL 3.1N (GRUNDY)....................3.17 (2) COAL CITY 4NNW (GRUNDY)......................3.17 (2) MORRIS 6ESE (GRUNDY).........................3.14 (2) MUNDELEIN 2WNW (LAKE)........................3.13 (2) CHANNAHON 2SSE (WILL)........................3.12 (2) MIDLOTHIAN 1SE (COOK)........................3.07 (2) FLOSSMOOR 1ESE (COOK)........................3.07 (2) DEKALB (DE KALB).............................3.06 (2) FLOSSMOOR (COOK).............................3.05 (2) DIXON 2SW (LEE)..............................3.04 (2) LANSING (COOK)...............................3.01 (2) MUNDELEIN (LAKE).............................3.01 (2) MANHATTAN 5ENE (WILL)........................2.99 (2) WAUKEGAN 2E (LAKE)...........................2.94 (2) MANHATTAN (WILL).............................2.86 (2) WILMINGTON 3SE (WILL)........................2.79 (2) BULL VALLEY 2WNW (MCHENRY)...................2.75 (2) LAKE VILLA 2WSW (LAKE).......................2.67 (2) LAKEMOOR 2SE (LAKE)..........................2.60 (2) NEW LENOX 4SE (WILL).........................2.59 (2) ROUND LAKE 2WNW (LAKE).......................2.55 (2) PEOTONE (WILL)...............................2.51 (2) CRYSTAL LAKE 1WSW (MCHENRY)..................2.51 (2) MCHENRY (MCHENRY)............................2.49 (2) MONEE (WILL).................................2.45 (2) BEECHER 3ENE (WILL)..........................2.41 (2) CRETE 3E (WILL)..............................2.40 (2) WOODSTOCK (MCHENRY)..........................2.34 (2) JOLIET LOCK/DAM (WILL).......................2.33 (2) FOX LAKE 2SE (LAKE)..........................2.30 (2) KINGSTON 2WNW (DE KALB)......................2.30 (2) WONDER LAKE 1NE (MCHENRY)....................2.29 (2) LANSING (COOK)...............................2.28 (2) HEBRON (MCHENRY).............................2.24 (2) WINTHROP HARBOR 1SSW (LAKE)..................2.23 (2) BELVIDERE (BOONE)............................2.21 (2) WINTHROP HARBOR (LAKE).......................2.17 (2) ZION (LAKE)..................................2.13 (2) BELVIDERE 2NW (BOONE)........................2.12 (2) WAUKEGAN (LAKE)..............................2.06 (2) WOODSTOCK 4SW (MCHENRY)......................2.03 (2) ROCKFORD 6S (WINNEBAGO)......................2.01 (2) BEECHER 3SSE (WILL)..........................1.92 (2) ROCKFORD (WINNEBAGO).........................1.84 (2) BYRON 3N (OGLE)..............................1.79 (2) ROCKFORD 2ENE (WINNEBAGO)....................1.70 (2) CAPRON (BOONE)...............................1.64 (2) DIXON 3NNW (LEE).............................1.62 (2) HARVARD (MCHENRY)............................1.61 (2) SOUTH BELOIT 2SE (WINNEBAGO).................1.55 (2) MACHESNEY PARK 3ENE (WINNEBAGO)..............1.51 (2) ROCKFORD 1NW (WINNEBAGO).....................1.48 (2) ROSCOE 2SE (WINNEBAGO).......................1.42 (2) ROSCOE 2ESE (WINNEBAGO)......................1.42 (2)
Slightly Edited Local Storm Reports 000 NWUS53 KLOT 160008 LSRLOT PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL 708 PM CDT SUN OCT 15 2017 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0600 AM HEAVY RAIN 3 SW MIDWAY AIRPORT 41.75N 87.79W 10/15/2017 M5.41 INCH COOK IL CO-OP OBSERVER STORM TOTAL. 1130 PM FLOOD CHICAGO 41.88N 87.63W 10/14/2017 COOK IL EMERGENCY MNGR NUMEROUS INSTANCES OF FLOODING ON CITY ROADWAYS. 1130 PM FLASH FLOOD LOMBARD 41.87N 88.01W 10/14/2017 DUPAGE IL PUBLIC A PORTION OF NORTHBOUND FINLEY ROAD HAD AT LEAST 2 FEET OF WATER ON IT. 1115 PM HEAVY RAIN ELMHURST 41.90N 87.94W 10/14/2017 M5.98 INCH DUPAGE IL BROADCAST MEDIA TOTAL RAINFALL AS OF 1115 PM SATURDAY EVENING. VIA WGN TV. 1115 PM HEAVY RAIN CAROL STREAM 41.92N 88.13W 10/14/2017 M4.42 INCH DUPAGE IL PUBLIC 1030 PM FLASH FLOOD SOMONAUK 41.63N 88.68W 10/14/2017 LA SALLE IL TRAINED SPOTTER 2 FEET OF WATER ON U.S. HIGHWAY 34. 1030 PM FLOOD NAPERVILLE 41.76N 88.15W 10/14/2017 DUPAGE IL LAW ENFORCEMENT NUMEROUS ROADS IN THE CITY FLOODED. 1015 PM HEAVY RAIN 3 SW CHICAGO 41.85N 87.67W 10/14/2017 M6.30 INCH COOK IL PUBLIC MEASURED IN THE MCKINLEY PARK NEIGHBORHOOD. 1015 PM HEAVY RAIN 2 N JOLIET 41.56N 88.12W 10/14/2017 M3.50 INCH WILL IL TRAINED SPOTTER 0930 PM HEAVY RAIN MORRIS 41.37N 88.43W 10/14/2017 M2.50 INCH GRUNDY IL EMERGENCY MNGR STORM TOTAL AT THE GRUNDY COUNTY EOC. 0918 PM FLOOD CRETE 41.45N 87.62W 10/14/2017 WILL IL AMATEUR RADIO 5 INCHES OF WATER COVERING THE ROADWAY AT THE EDWARDS AND RONALD. 0917 PM FLOOD HAMMOND 41.62N 87.49W 10/14/2017 LAKE IN AMATEUR RADIO LEFT LANE OF I-80/94 EAST BOUND FLOODED IN CONSTRUCTION ZONE EAST BOUND MILE MARKER 3.5. REPORTED TO BE UP TO 9 INCHES DEEP. 0903 PM FLOOD SCHERERVILLE 41.49N 87.45W 10/14/2017 LAKE IN AMATEUR RADIO WATER ON RT-30 AND REED RD, AS WELL AS AT JOLIET AND REED RD. 0900 PM HEAVY RAIN 2 NNW BURNHAM 41.66N 87.55W 10/14/2017 M3.10 INCH COOK IL COCORAHS STORM TOTAL SO FAR. 0857 PM TSTM WND DMG SCHERERVILLE 41.49N 87.45W 10/14/2017 LAKE IN TRAINED SPOTTER DELAYED REPORT. FENCES DOWN IN EAGLE RIDGE SUBDIVISION. METAL FLAGPOLE SNAPPED AT 77TH AVENUE AND ST. JOHN. STREET SIGNS BENT ALONG 77TH AVENUE. TREE DAMAGE NOTED SOUTHEAST TO JUST NORTH OF 85TH AVENUE ALONG AUSTIN AVENUE...WHICH IS APPROXIMATE END POINT OF A SWATH OF DAMAGE THAT STARTED ALONG 77TH AVENUE IN THE SOUTHEAST PORTION OF DYER. 0857 PM TSTM WND DMG SCHERERVILLE 41.49N 87.45W 10/14/2017 LAKE IN AMATEUR RADIO POWER LINES DOWN AT 77TH AND AUSTIN AND AT 77TH AND ST JOHN. LARGE MAPLE TREE DOWNED. TIME ESTIMATED OFF OF RADAR. 0855 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 SE DYER 41.49N 87.49W 10/14/2017 LAKE IN TRAINED SPOTTER DELAYED REPORT. MULTIPLE 6 INCH OR MORE DIAMETER TREE LIMBS DOWNED AND 77TH AVENUE CLOSED DUE TO DOWNED POWER LINES. THIS IS THE START OF A SWATH OF WIND DAMAGE THAT WENT SOUTHEAST TO JUST NORTH OF 85TH AVENUE ALONG AUSTIN AVENUE IN SCHERERVILLE. 0845 PM HEAVY RAIN DEER PARK 42.17N 88.09W 10/14/2017 E0.00 INCH LAKE IL EMERGENCY MNGR 1 FOOT OF STANDING WATER ON LAKE-COOK ROAD AT DEER PARK BOULEVARD. 0840 PM TSTM WND DMG FAIRBURY 40.75N 88.51W 10/14/2017 LIVINGSTON IL LAW ENFORCEMENT MULTIPLE LARGE LIMBS AND POWER LINES DOWNED. TIME ESTIMATED VIA RADAR. 0830 PM HEAVY RAIN 5 NNW ADDISON 42.00N 88.05W 10/14/2017 M2.21 INCH COOK IL COCORAHS STORM TOTAL SO FAR. THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINFALL. PEA SIZE HAIL. LOW AREA PONDING WITH RAPID RUNOFF. 0755 PM FLOOD HOFFMAN ESTATES 42.06N 88.14W 10/14/2017 COOK IL TRAINED SPOTTER MULTIPLE SECTIONS OF ROADWAYS COVERED WITH WATER OF AT LEAST 3 INCHES IN DEPTH. NEAREST INTERSECTION HIGGINS AND GOLF. 0751 PM TSTM WND GST 8 W STREATOR 41.13N 88.99W 10/14/2017 E50.00 MPH LA SALLE IL TRAINED SPOTTER ALSO VISIBILITY AROUND 200 FEET DUE TO THE TORRENTIAL RAIN AND WIND COMBINATION. 0745 PM TSTM WND DMG STREATOR 41.13N 88.83W 10/14/2017 LA SALLE IL LAW ENFORCEMENT UTILITY LINE BLOWN DOWN. 0740 PM FLOOD ST. CHARLES 41.92N 88.30W 10/14/2017 KANE IL TRAINED SPOTTER REPORT OF MULTIPLE FLOODED ROADWAYS RELAYED VIA NWS QUAD CITIES. 0730 PM TSTM WND DMG NE NEWARK 41.54N 88.58W 10/14/2017 KENDALL IL EMERGENCY MNGR TREES DOWN AND POWERPOLES SNAPPED IN SMALL LESS THAN 1000 FOOT LONG PATH ALONG CHICAGO ROAD FROM NEAR COY PARK ROAD IN VICINITY OF NEWARK COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL NORTHEAST TO NEAR MEADOW LANE IN VICINITY OF NEWARK GRADE SCHOOL. MTF
October Rainfall
October Rainfall for Illinois has been above-normal for the first half of the month. The statewide average rainfall is 3.6 inches, which is 264 percent of normal. Below are maps of the actual rainfall and departure from normal for the month. Areas in northern Illinois shaded in orange or red have received 4 or more inches of rain. In many cases that is several inches above normal for the first half of October. Meanwhile, many parts of the rest of the state have received 2 to 4 inches, which is still slightly above normal. Click to enlarge maps.
