Heavy rain, hail hits suburbs

Up to 2 inches of rain quickly pelted towns from DuPage County north to Lake County when a storm rolled into the region Saturday afternoon, weather officials said.

In Lake County, the National Weather Service issued a flood advisory that expired at 11 p.m. Saturday. Officials said radar indicated thunderstorms rolled through the area about 5 p.m., dropping 1 to 2 inches of rain in a half-hour.

Minor flooding was considered possible along small streams and near low water crossings in Antioch, Buffalo Grove, Gages Lake, Grayslake, Gurnee, Libertyville, Lincolnshire, Long Grove and Mundelein, according to the weather service.

National Weather Service meteorologist Jim Allsopp said the heavy rain moved into the region about 3:30 p.m. He said 1½ to 2 inches of rain fell on the area in 30 to 45 minutes, with the hardest hit areas in that storm being northern Cook County, DuPage County and northern Will County.

Waterlogged parking lots were seen after the downpour at Yorktown Center mall in Lombard and small tree limbs were reported down on Naperville's south side. A weather service spotter reported wind gusts of up to 60 mph in Naperville about 3:50 p.m.

Hail fell in Arlington Heights, Elk Grove Village, Elmhurst, Bolingbrook and Downers Grove.

Allsopp said rain is expected to continue in certain areas through the evening and that showers are possible Sunday.