Gustav's blustery remnants lived up to the advance billing Thursday, dousing the
Chicago area with its heaviest official rain in more than five years. By evening,
preliminary totals at the Whitney Young High School Weather Bug sensor had reached
4.12 inches with rain still falling. Other reports included 4.06 inches at Justice, 3.76
inches at Palatine, 3.67 inches at Wilmette, 3.62 inches at Orland Park and 3.51 inches
at Lake Zurich. A rainfall of 4.50 inches hit Downstate at London Mills -- located
between Peoria and the Mississippi River. It marked the first time in three years that the
remnants of a landfalling Gulf Coast hurricane reached Chicago. Hurricane's Rita's
remnants were the last to occur here in 2005.
POWERHOUSE HURRICANE IKE CHURNS TOWARD BAHAMAS; FLORIDIANS
UNEASY
Ragged Tropical Storm Hanna is headed for the Carolinas -- but more ominously,
powerhouse Category 4-intensity (135 m.p.h. peak winds) Hurricane Ike appears
headed for the Bahamas. Some computer models indicate Florida may later be a target
which has residents there on edge. The storm is still five days aways and much can
change. But it's a situation that warrants close observation.
--Tom Skilling, Chief Meteorologist, WGN-TV/Chicago Tribune
