News

It's soggy now, but don't worry: More rain is on its way

Posted March 08, 2009 11:00 pm

By Jamie Sotonoff

The intersection of Main and Indiana streets in Wheaton was closed Sunday, following the heavy rainfall. It was among several DuPage County intersections that were flooded. Tanit Jarusan | Staff Photographer

More than two inches of rain fell across most of the suburbs Sunday afternoon, followed by 35 mph winds Sunday night.

That same scenario could repeat Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. The forecast calls for more heavy rain Tuesday, followed by windy conditions Tuesday night.

Sunday's deluge flooded many suburban streets, yards, basements and waterways. The entire Chicago area remains under a flood warning until 10 a.m. Monday as local creeks and rivers were expected to rise Sunday night.

Some homes along River Road in Fox River Grove experienced flooding, and streets in a mobile home park in northwest Elgin were under water, according to the National Weather Service. But all in all, the north and northwest suburbs handled the wet weekend pretty well.

"There is a lot of water on the ground, in ditches and backyards, but there are no reports of significant flooding," said Kent McKenzie, head of the Lake County Emergency Management Agency.

McKenzie said the Des Plaines and Fox rivers were holding their own and predicted "no imminent flooding." But, officials will be keeping an eye on the Fox River toward the middle of the week when levels could approach flood stage.

In Des Plaines, only Campground Road, an area that regularly floods, was underwater, officials said.

Below are the unofficial rainfall totals for the area, as of 6 p.m. Sunday, according to the National Weather Service and Weather Underground's local weather stations:

Lisle, 2.2 inches

Wheaton, 1.94 inches

Wood Dale, 1.79 inches

Bartlett (Fairfax subdivision), 1.54 inches

St. Charles, 1.48 inches

Elgin, 1.42 inches

O'Hare International Airport, 1.4 inches

Elk Grove Village (Plum Grove & Nerge roads), 1.42 inches

Elburn, 1.34 inches

Streamwood, 1.34 inches

Mundelein, 1.33 inches

Barrington, 1.32 inches

Lake Zurich, 1.14 inches

Arlington Heights (Pioneer Park), 1.16 inches

Lombard (North Ave. and Main St.), 0.99 inches

Des Plaines (Dempster and Rt. 83), 0.76 inches

• Staff Writer Steve Zalusky contributed to this report

Umbrellas were the accessory of the day Sunday as people went about their business in St. Charles. The area picked up nearly two inches of rain. John Starks | Staff Photographer

Aviva Mastandrea of Wauconda huddles under her umbrella and tries to keep from getting soaked as she walks across a parking lot in Long Grove Sunday. Nearly two inches of rain fell in the area, causing minor flooding. Gilbert R. Boucher II | Staff Photographer

Michael Shultz of Buffalo Grove carries his son, Zachary, 2, and an umbrella while walking with Eli, 7, as they walked across a parking lot in Long Grove on Sunday. Rain poured in the suburbs on Sunday causing some flooding. Gilbert R. Boucher II | Staff Photographer

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