After Texas and New Mexico, Chicago now receives a month's rain in 90 minutes - flash flood warning issued

Chicago had a chaotic night as torrential rain fell more than five inches in less than two hours, resulting in dangerous flash flooding. Streets turned into rivers, emergency personnel scrambled, and entire neighborhoods flooded. The storm hit quickly, leaving a soaked, stunned city that is still reeling from its aftermath.

Chicago flash flooding

After Texas and New Mexico, more than a month's worth of rain fell on Chicago's West Side in 90 minutes on Tuesday night, flooding streets, basements, and viaducts, the National Weather Service (NWS) stated, as per a report by Newsweek.


Some areas received nearly 6.6 inches of rain, necessitating emergency rescues. The flash flood warning has expired, but the city continues to assess the damage. Chicago and Cicero were under a flash flood warning through 12.45 a.m. on Wednesday.

"There were numerous reports of flooded viaducts, several reports of water rescues, and a few reports of flooded basements," the National Weather Service stated.

Tuesday night's storm began as a few pop-up thunderstorms at 8 p.m. and developed into the untidy, slow storm that caught some people off guard. Chicago's intense downpour comes after last week's devastating floods in Texas' Hill Country killed over 100 people.

According to Reuters, at least three people were killed by flash floods in New Mexico on Tuesday, including two children in the resort village of Ruidoso.

Which areas in Chicago were hit the hardest?

According to data from the Illinois State Climatologist, this is more precipitation than the city typically receives each month, which is about 4.5 inches.

Over five inches of rain fell Tuesday night within ninety minutes west of the United Center, according to the Chicago-based NWS forecast office.

According to CBS Chicago, the West Side of Chicago, which includes Homan Square, Douglass Park, and Tri-Taylor, saw particularly difficult circumstances, reported Newsweek.

ALSO READ: Will Xi Jinping step down in August? Speculation explodes over who could rule China next

It also stated that Douglass Park received 6.6 inches of rain in total, and rescue operations were carried out at Ashland Avenue, Kinzie Street, Western and Ogden Avenue.




On X, the Chicago-based NWS forecast office reported that a personal weather station recorded 5.06 inches of rain in 1 hour and 30 minutes just west of the United Center.



According to a post by meteorologist Emily Wahls on X, water rescues are being conducted at Western and Ogden, Fulton and Maple, and flooded viaducts as a result of the ongoing flash flood flooding in Chicago.

FAQs

How much rain fell in Chicago on Tuesday night?
Over five inches fell in just 90 minutes, with some areas, such as Douglass Park, receiving as much as 6.6 inches, more than the city's average monthly rainfall.

Was anyone injured or rescued during the flood?
Emergency crews performed water rescues in several locations, including Western & Ogden and Ashland & Kinzie, but no major injuries have been reported thus far.