Downpours swept into the Chicago area Thursday and have continued overnight. The storm is expected to produce the biggest rainfall tallies in two months--more than 2 inches in some areas. It comes in an October which has seen rain 16 of 23 days. But, not since 2.12 inches fell between Aug. 26-29 has a wetter system hit the area. It's arrived as area farmers struggle with what is already the latest harvest in recent memory, a development brought on by an extraordinarily wet spring and cool summer. The latest rains all but guarantee field work won't resume for 3 to 4 days, according to John Hazzard who farms in Will County's Wilmington area. What's more, this year's fall color display---arguably one of the best in recent years---may well be adversely affected as the current system's wind/rain combo brings down leaves.
Area rainfalls by late Thursday evening had reached 1.85 inches at Kenosha, WI, 1.58 Rockford, 1.37 Sandwich, 1.34 Lake Geneva, 1.24 Henry and 1.20 in Glenview---totals expected to rise significantly in overnight downpours expected to extend into the first hours of Friday morning. While occasionally heavy rains are projected through mid-morning, easing to lighter showers by lunchtime and to lighter, far more sporadic sprinkles Friday afternoon, the storm's backwash showers---showers which sweep around such a system's west and southern flank--aren't likely to fully depart the area until later Saturday afternoon. Still another system--lacking the huge moisture budget of this one---may ignite some additional showers Sunday afternoon and night. And another wet system seems a good bet mid-next week.
Louisiana tornado overturns 18-wheeler as rains top 4 inches in Arkansas
Driving rains weren't the system's only effect in a 1,000 mile swath of terrain extending from Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico to Wisconsin and Michigan. A tornado touched down just after noon Thursday in Jennings, Louisiana, overturning cars on Interstate 10 and flipping an 18 wheeler on its side. Big rains to Chicago's south included 4.20 inches at Arkadelphia, AR, 3.98 at Alexandria, Louisiana, 2.68 at Ames, Iowa and 2.26 at Kirksville, Missouri.
Area rainfalls by late Thursday evening had reached 1.85 inches at Kenosha, WI, 1.58 Rockford, 1.37 Sandwich, 1.34 Lake Geneva, 1.24 Henry and 1.20 in Glenview---totals expected to rise significantly in overnight downpours expected to extend into the first hours of Friday morning. While occasionally heavy rains are projected through mid-morning, easing to lighter showers by lunchtime and to lighter, far more sporadic sprinkles Friday afternoon, the storm's backwash showers---showers which sweep around such a system's west and southern flank--aren't likely to fully depart the area until later Saturday afternoon. Still another system--lacking the huge moisture budget of this one---may ignite some additional showers Sunday afternoon and night. And another wet system seems a good bet mid-next week.
Louisiana tornado overturns 18-wheeler as rains top 4 inches in Arkansas
Driving rains weren't the system's only effect in a 1,000 mile swath of terrain extending from Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico to Wisconsin and Michigan. A tornado touched down just after noon Thursday in Jennings, Louisiana, overturning cars on Interstate 10 and flipping an 18 wheeler on its side. Big rains to Chicago's south included 4.20 inches at Arkadelphia, AR, 3.98 at Alexandria, Louisiana, 2.68 at Ames, Iowa and 2.26 at Kirksville, Missouri.
