Overview
- Chicago O’Hare recorded 2.43 inches of rain on Tuesday, breaking a 1949 daily record and marking one of the city’s six wettest April days.
- The National Weather Service kept flood watches in place for Chicago and nearby counties through Friday evening because soils are already soaked.
- Forecasters expected more thunderstorms Wednesday night with another quarter to a half inch of rain and said totals could reach 1 to 2 inches by Saturday.
- Neighborhoods on the Northwest Side reported sewage and standing water in basements, and the city logged more than 600 flooding complaints through the 3-1-1 line.
- Regional alerts stretched from Iowa to Michigan, and long-term NOAA data show Illinois is getting wetter with more intense downpours, prompting calls for better stormwater systems.