Chicago residents faced a deluge on Tuesday night, as torrential rains led to widespread flooding, submerging roads and necessitating water rescues across the city. According to ABC7 AccuWeather, the downpour accumulated over five inches of rain in several areas, including downtown and the West Side, within just about two and a half hours.
The swift onset of the storm was a severe test for drivers, turning streets into flood zones almost instantly, with some areas receiving water as high as car hoods. As reported by ABC7 AccuWeather, video at Ogden and Western showed numerous vehicles becoming trapped beneath a viaduct, their drivers unprepared for the sudden inundation. One driver remarked, "It was like heavy," adding that despite the warnings, the conditions under the bridge were "really, really bad."
CBS Chicago detailed the scope of the flooding, noting that roads, interstates, and viaducts were swiftly overcome by the rising waters, with emergency services conducting multiple rescues on the West Side. Increasing in severity as the night progressed, the heavy rain led to the closure of local lanes on the Dan Ryan Expressway between 18th and 31st streets.
Flooding stretched from the downtown area through the West Side and Oak Park, with the rain falling at a rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour. Stations, like the Metra viaduct at Kinzie Street on the West Side, saw water rescues from the Fire Department, including a dramatic extraction of someone from an Audi's roof. "Looks like a lot of people got stuck in the water, and a lot of people are getting pulled out of the water," resident Paul Babcock told CBS Chicago, watching the flooding impacts unfold.
While the north lakefront areas, such as Lincoln Park and Edgewater, were hit by the same storm system Tuesday night, they escaped the level of severe flooding that ravaged the West Side.
