Heavy rainfall hit the Chicago area overnight, snarling traffic and shutting down several roads across the region.
The Cook County Department of Transportation closed some roads, largely in the south suburbs, due to flooding. Those streets include:
- Sauk Trail – Western Avenue to Ashland Avenue in Bloom Township
- 108th Avenue – 159th Street to 161st Street in Orland Park
- 135th Street – Southwest Highway to LaGrange Road in Orland Park
- Midlothian Turnpike – Cicero Avenue to Laramie Avenue in Crestwood
- Kedzie Avenue – 135th Street to 139th Street in Robbins
- Will-Cook Road – 151st Street to 159th Street in Orland Park
- 179th Street – Southwest Highway to Marley Creek Boulevard in Orland Park
- Vollmer Road just west of Western Avenue at Flossmoor
A Flood Watch remained in effect through 6 a.m. Wednesday, with the National Weather Service warning that several inches of rain combined with higher temperatures - accelerating snow melt - could lead to flooding of streams and rivers.
With the ground still frozen, officials fear that water will not absorb but instead run off, exacerbating flooding conditions, particularly along the Little Calumet River and the Kankakee River.
Radar showed continued areas of moderate to heavy rain, moving across the area from southwest to northeast. High temperatures could reach the 50s and 60s before quickly dropping in the afternoon and evening.
