Flood threat over but heat advisory issued

First rain, now heat.

Officials from the National Weather Service have issued a heat advisory for the Chicago area, as temperatures are expected to cross into the 90s with humidity rising to make it feel more like 100 degrees.

The heat advisory is in effect for the entire area, minus the lakefront where a lakefront breeze should cool things down.

At the same time, weather officials said the Des Plaines River has crested in Gurnee and will begin dropping rapidly over the next 24 hours.

The worst of flooding may be over on the Des Plaines River, where it has crested in Gurnee and is expected to begin dropping soon.

Now, local officials turn their attention to western Lake County where experts say water on the Fox River and Chain O' Lakes is slowly rising.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has closed boating on the Fox River between the Montgomery Dam in Kane County through the Stratton-Bolger Lock and Dam in McHenry. The restriction is due to swift currents and large pieces of floating debris.

A no-wake restriction remains in place on the Chain and river from the dam in McHenry to the Wisconsin border. The restriction, issued by the Fox Waterway Agency in Fox Lake, means boaters are not allowed to travel faster than 5 mph to ensure a boat does not create a wake.

Experts believe any flood damage will be minimal if the rain stays away.

"Everything should be at its worst now if, in fact, everything holds the way it looks," said Arlan Juhl, division manager with the IDNR's Office of Water Resources. "But, more rain would be bad. So, we don't want anymore rain."

The Des Plaines River crested at about midnight Monday or early Tuesday morning at about 21/2 feet over flood stage, officials said.

That's high enough to reach sandbags protecting Gurnee Grade School on Emerald Drive, but not enough to cause significant damage to homes or the school, said Gurnee Assistant Village Administrator Patrick Muetz.

Emerald Avenue remains closed, Kilbourne Road has some water but is open, and some sandbags were piled in front of a barber shop in the lowest area, Muetz said.

So far, he said, any flood damage has been minimal.

"A thunderstorm is forecast for Wednesday night or Thursday morning, but it seems very little rain will fall, so we shouldn't be affected by it," he said. "Right now, we are sitting and waiting for the water to recede."

Barring more rain, the Des Plaines River is expected to recede Wednesday night, and drop below flood stage as early as Thursday evening.

The Chain is about one foot over flood level. That's enough to damage some lawns in low-lying levels on Atwater Parkway and the Knollwood Park subdivision in Fox Lake, but barely reaches the point where sandbags are needed.

Fox Lake Fire Chief Ron Hoehne and Police Chief Mike Behan have said there have been minimal calls for sandbags this week despite recent heavy rain.

The heat advisory begins at 11 a.m. Tuesday and continues through 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Temperatures Tuesday and Wednesday are expected to remain in the high-80s or mid-90s, officials said, with high humidity to make it feel much hotter.

Overnight low temperatures are only expected to drop into the lower 70s.

The National Weather Service recommends drinking plenty of fluids, staying in air-conditioned areas when possible, and staying out of the sun.

They added sunburn can start in 15 minutes in the sweltering heat, and people should use sun protection at all times when outdoors.

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