Overview

• More than five inches of rain fell over the Near West Side between 8:55 p.m. and 10:25 p.m., overwhelming the area’s drainage infrastructure
• Flash flood warnings issued for Chicago and Cicero until 12:45 a.m. on Wednesday have now expired as floodwaters recede
• Chicago Fire Department crews carried out over a dozen water rescues in flooded viaducts and low-lying streets
• National Weather Service meteorologists said a slow-moving, high-rain-rate storm cell anchored over the city triggered the rapid flooding
• The event highlights the ongoing strain on Chicago’s aging stormwater infrastructure as urban flash floods intensify