No one could simply cross the street in Chicago this weekend. The flooding has only gotten worse.
The day following these storms, you had to jump over those big puddles pooled at almost every corner, and stand a ways back just to avoid being splashed by any inattentive cars passing by. Outside the city, Fox River — already overwhelmed in recent weeks — reached record levels according to ABC7 Chicago, and matters in other suburbs weren’t much better.
Rains also entrenched the North Branch Trail, a popular scenic route for bikers and joggers that runs alongside the Chicago River. The trail’s low-lying terrain causes particular trouble. Until workers can manage the water, the county has advised visitors to choose other trails.
Will, Kane, DuPage, and Cook Counties all issued severe weather warnings. The worst of it fell on the Northwestern suburbs.
This map from the National Weather Service tracks local rainfall across the weekend.
More than 20,000 lost power over the weekend. O’Hare came to a complete ground stop, however briefly.
Algonquin, Illinois, whose Founders’ Day event has never before been cancelled, had to call it quits due to the flooding. The Northwest Herald reported that the four-day festival turned all their support to those impacted by the flooding. The festival is usually a time for fun and celebration of community. While the lack of celebration hurt the tradition, many would have been unable to participate. Some Algonquin residents lost property and saw serious damage to their homes and businesses.
Nevertheless, conditions are expected to persist this week. Forecasts state cooler temperatures and additional rainfall as early as Thursday.
