Meteorologists warn of flash floods in Chicago area, 7 foot waves on Lake Michigan Sunday
The National Weather Service issued and later extended a flash flood warning for Chicago, Naperville and Cicero, which now will remain in effect until 1:45 p.m. Sunday. A beach hazards statement also was issued, until 4 p.m.
Chicagoans awakened to strong winds blowing through the city Sunday morning as heavy rain steadily pounded rooftops area-wide. And the gloomy weather isn’t going anywhere.
“We’ll have this period of heavy rain that’s moving through the metro area right now, probably get a little bit of a break this afternoon (but) it may never actually stop raining, there might some showers that still go through,” said Casey Sullivan, a meteorologist with the weather service.
With the Bears season opener taking place at Soldier Field at noon, traffic congestion had been expected on nearby roads. Drivers should use caution while driving in the rain — particularly through standing water on streets, according to the Office of Emergency Management and Communications.
The agency also “is monitoring weather conditions with the National Weather Service in Chicago and (is) advising residents to use caution and avoid driving through standing water on streets, viaducts and low-lying areas,” according to a statement from a city spokeswoman.
Forecasters also warned strong wind gusts will make for dangerous swimming conditions Sunday.
“High waves up to 7 feet and dangerous currents are expected. Remain out of the water to avoid dangerous swimming conditions and do not venture out onto piers or other shoreline structures,” the city statement said.
Moderate to heavy showers later in the evening might be more concentrated in the northwest suburbs, Sullivan added.
The city offered several tips for flood prevention, including:
Avoid running a dishwasher or washing machine during storms
Disconnect downspout connections from the sewer system
Make sure to direct flow to areas with permeable surfaces that can properly absorb the storm water or use rain barrels to collect the rain directly from the downspouts
Install rain gardens, green landscaping, or storm water trees in your yard to help retain rainwater
Resurface driveways, parking pads, or patios with permeable pavements
Do not dump fats/oils/greases in private drains or public catch basins
In addition, residents and motorists can contact 3-1-1 by visiting 311.chicago.gov to report water in their basement, standing water on their street, tree debris, flood viaducts and any traffic light outage, according to the city.
