After this May, perhaps they ought to change Chicago’s nickname to The Rainy City.
Following a flood-laden weekend and early part of the week in Chicago and throughout northern Illinois, the city of Chicago officially clinched its wettest May on record on Tuesday morning.
With at least 8.30 inches of rain so far this May, it’s now Chicago’s wettest May on record – surpassing a record only set last year.
Of course, there are still nearly two weeks left in May, making this an extra impressive feat. Unfortunately, flooding also continues to be a big problem for the area, with ongoing river flooding across the region. Almost all of the rain came over the last week, with 7.99 inches of rainfall at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (the city’s official observation site) since last Thursday alone.
Flooded fields, rivers, and still numerous roads continue due to two very heavy rain events in a four day span.
More on each:
May 14-15: https://t.co/c7hLemqlv4
May 17: https://t.co/iFHQcstFuc#ILwx #INwx pic.twitter.com/c8OPIWDt5w
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) May 19, 2020
Flood alerts remain in place across the Chicagoland area for the next few days as rivers gradually recede following this week’s rainfall. We have more details on the Chicago-area river flooding here.
Some good news, though: a drier week is (finally) in store for the Chicago area. The city’s next chance for rain won’t come until Saturday, offering the area a needed reprieve from its rainiest May on record.
Stay with WeatherNation for the latest on this record and the flooding across northern Illinois.