CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Rain has tapered off in the Chicago area but gusty winds and waves as high as 12 feet continued Monday, sparking a National Weather Service meteorologist to caution people to avoid walking trails and bike paths along Lake Michigan.
“We have a lakeshore flood advisories so that means that the high waves could flood low areas near the lake or the bike path. So people just want to stay away from the lake completely, away from piers, away from the bike path. The waves are just too big,” Casey Sullivan, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Chicago office told WBBM Newsradio.
A few brave souls gathered along the lakefront Monday morning to watch high waves crash over barriers and onto paths. Geese and seagulls were grounded as their attempts at flight proved fruitless against the strong winds.
A tree was uprooted along the lakefront near 39th Street Beach and several fallen tree limps and branches were strewn around Chicago neighborhoods, all a result of the heavy rain and storms that’s drenched Chicagoland over a 24-hour period.
It began raining south of Interstate 80 before sunrise Sunday and didn't start raining in the city until around 9 or 10 a.m. that morning and lasted into Monday. Spotty rain and showers will continue into the Monday afternoon especially by Lake Michigan, Sullivan said.
Minor street flooding in residential areas caused by leaves clogging sewers were spotted but the NWS Chicago hasn’t received any reports of significant flooding.
“There is river flooding, especially south of the Chicago metro area. That's to be expected when we get this amount of rainfall but in terms of like impacts to to roadways and closed or flooded roadways, we haven't heard of anything significant,” Sullivan said.
He said there could be some shower sprinkles Tuesday morning but, for the most part, Tuesday and Wednesday look dry. There's a chance to rain again as we get into Thursday and Friday, he added.
Here's a look at rainfall totals in inches (greatest to least) from the National Weather Service, as of 7 a.m. Monday:
LaSalle — 4.51
Oak Lawn — 4.31
New Lenox — 3.81
St. John in Lake County Indiana — 3.61
Lockport — 3.50
Romeoville — 3.49
Morris — 3.34
NWS Chicago — 3.30
Chicago Midway — 2.83
Elk Grove Village — 2.67
Joliet — 2.64
Pontiac — 2.64
Chicago O'hare — 2.26
Rockford — 1.14