The Chicago area was drenched for a fifth time in just six weeks Monday. Sunday’s sporadic rainfall turned heavy for hours Monday morning and rly afternoon—rain which was punctuated by lightning and thunder. Before the day had ended, 1.97” had accumulated at O’Hare, that site’s heaviest since 2.05” on July 20. The total was expected to increase overnight as new showers and thunderstorms, which flared near the Mississippi River late Monday then generated 65 m.p.h. gusts and hail south of Peoria near Havana, set their sights on the metro area.
Area rainfall was heaviest outside the city, topping 2” at Oak Brook, Woodridge, Mt. Prospect, Romeville and Clarendon Hills among others.
Midway Airport’s been hit with five 1”+ rains since August 1—nearly three times normal. That’s the greatest number of heavy rains in the period since six occurred in 1977.
-Tom Skilling
WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center staff provide daily coverage of weather in the Chicago area.
