Wind-driven rain—well over 2" of it Monday across Chicago’s southern suburbs and one of this summer’s seven heaviest rainfalls—pushed August precipitation tallies across a large swath of the metro area to nearly five times higher than the same period a year ago. Monday’s 1.08" at Midway Airport brought the month’s total at the South Side site to 7.08"—the sixth greatest August rainfall on the books since observations began there in 1928. Flooding was reported along the Little Calumet River and Thorn Creek in the hardest hit areas. South suburban Lansing was drenched by 2.71" while Highland Indiana tallied 2.50" and Joliet recorded 2.47".
The rain fell in the midst of an October-level afternoon chill. Northeast winds gusted as high as 38 m.p.h. at Calumet Harbor and 35 m.p.h. at Gary while NOAA’s offshore buoy 30 miles east of Kenosha rode 5 ft. waves.
-Tom Skilling, WGN-TV Meteorologist
WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center staff provide daily coverage of weather in the Chicago area.
