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Overview Late on the night of July 11 into the morning of July 12, multiple waves of thunderstorms moved across southern Wisconsin and northeast Illinois. With summertime moisture at its maximum, the storms produced copious rainfall rates. Given the training nature over the same location, substantial rainfall amounts resulted. This brought flash flooding by daybreak on July 12 that continued through that entire day and into the next night. In addition, river flooding became a major problem and continues, especially on the Des Plaines and Fox Rivers. For more on the rivers, visit our AHPS page. |
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River Flooding
The rivers in northeast Illinois that have experienced the most flooding from the July 2017 rainfall event are the Des Plaines River and the Fox River. Record flooding occurred on the Des Plaines River in northeast Illinois.
Record River Flood Information
The following are preliminary record crests for rivers that have crested in northern Illinois. All data is preliminary until certified by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) or U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
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River
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Location
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July 2017
Crest |
Date
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Previous
Record |
Date
|
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Des Plaines River
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12.15 ft |
7/14
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11.09 ft
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5/23/2004
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Des Plaines River
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12.09 ft
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7/15
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11.95 ft
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9/27/1986 | |
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Des Plaines River
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16.53 ft
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7/12
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16.36 ft |
4/19/2013
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The Fox River at Algonquin, IL crested at 12.38 ft on July 18. The record river stage for there is 12.70 ft observed on April 23, 2013.
In southeast Wisconsin, the Fox River at both Burlington and New Munster has also had preliminary record crests from this rainfall event. See NWS Milwaukee for more.
The Des Plaines River at the town of Des Plaines has had a preliminary crest of 19.88 ft on 7/14, below the record flood stage 20.92 ft (4/19/2013).
Observed Hydrographs
| Des Plaines River | |||
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Russell, IL
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Gurnee, IL |
Lincolnshire, IL | Des Plaines, IL |
| Fox River | |
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| McHenry Lock/Dam, IL | Algonquin (Tailwater), IL |
Flash Flooding
Lake County, Illinois
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Antioch, IL
Courtesy of Christopher McBrady
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North Chicago, IL Courtesy of Howard J. Miller |
Mundelein, IL
Courtesy of Media partners |
Mundelein, IL Courtesy of Media partners |
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| Round Lake Beach, IL Courtesy of Michael Ballinger |
Round Lake Beach, IL
Courtesy of Michael Ballinger
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Highland Park, IL
Courtesy of RoseanneT ellez
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Wauconda, IL Courtesy of Edward Sturtevant |
Rainfall
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48-Hour Rainfall Amounts
Based on Radar and NWS Cooperative Observers and CoCoRaHS observers |
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
1022 AM CDT THU JUL 13 2017
...2-DAY RAINFALL ROUND-UP...
THE FOLLOWING ARE RAINFALL AMOUNTS FOR THE PREVIOUS 2 DAYS
AS MEASURED IN THE MORNING BY NWS COOPERATIVE OBSERVERS
AND COCORAHS OBSERVERS. OBSERVATIONS ARE USUALLY
TAKEN AT 7 AM.
2-DAY RAIN TOTALS FOR THURSDAY (07/13/17)
AS OF 10:22 AM CDT
ILLINOIS 2-DAY RAINFALL
LOCATION (COUNTY): AMT(IN) REPORTS
ELGIN 1S (KANE)..............................7.31 (2)
GURNEE 2W (LAKE).............................7.22 (2)
LAKE VILLA 2WSW (LAKE).......................7.11 (2)
LAKE VILLA 1SSW (LAKE).......................7.11 (2)
LAKE BLUFF 1W (LAKE).........................6.69 (2)
LAKE FOREST 2NNE (LAKE)......................6.46 (2)
WAUKEGAN 2E (LAKE)...........................5.53 (2)
MUNDELEIN 2WNW (LAKE)........................5.49 (2)
ELGIN 2WNW (KANE)............................5.24 (2)
FOX LAKE 2SE (LAKE)..........................5.15 (2)
CARPENTERSVILLE 1E (KANE)....................5.00 (2)
MUNDELEIN (LAKE).............................4.78 (2)
RIVERWOODS (LAKE)............................4.70 (2)
WAUKEGAN 2N (LAKE)...........................4.68 (2)
WADSWORTH 1SSE (LAKE)........................4.60 (2)
GILBERTS (KANE)..............................4.60 (2)
LAKEMOOR 2SE (LAKE)..........................4.55 (2)
BANNOCKBURN (LAKE)...........................4.52 (2)
BARRINGTON (LAKE)............................4.47 (2)
HIGHWOOD 1S (LAKE)...........................4.41 (2)
LINCOLNSHIRE 1N (LAKE).......................4.40 (2)
ALGONQUIN 1N (MCHENRY).......................4.25 (2)
ELGIN 2NE (KANE).............................4.08 (2)
HOFFMAN ESTATES 5W (COOK)....................4.07 (2)
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS 1SW (COOK).................3.93 (2)
PALATINE 1NNE (COOK).........................3.81 (2)
WHEELING (COOK)..............................3.77 (2)
BOTANIC GARDENS (COOK).......................3.76 (2)
CARY (MCHENRY)...............................3.72 (2)
BUFFALO GROVE 2N (LAKE)......................3.72 (2)
SLEEPY HOLLOW 1SE (KANE).....................3.64 (2)
WAUKEGAN (LAKE)..............................3.63 (2)
LAKE ZURICH 1N (LAKE)........................3.56 (2)
ZION (LAKE)..................................3.54 (2)
ELGIN (KANE).................................3.54 (2)
LAKE IN THE HILLS 1ESE (MCHENRY).............3.45 (2)
WINTHROP HARBOR 1SSW (LAKE)..................3.42 (2)
CARY (MCHENRY)...............................3.39 (2)
LAKE ZURICH (LAKE)...........................3.36 (2)
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS 3SSW (COOK)................3.27 (2)
SCHAUMBURG 2E (COOK).........................3.18 (2)
WINTHROP HARBOR (LAKE).......................3.18 (2)
HUNTLEY (MCHENRY)............................3.06 (2)
ELK GROVE VILLAGE 2WSW (COOK)................3.06 (2)
PALATINE 1E (COOK)...........................3.03 (2)
MCHENRY (MCHENRY)............................2.88 (2)
ELGIN 8WSW (KANE)............................2.83 (2)
BULL VALLEY 2WNW (MCHENRY)...................2.80 (2)
ELK GROVE VILLAGE 1ESE (COOK)................2.78 (2)
DWIGHT 4NNW (GRUNDY).........................2.69 (2)
CRYSTAL LAKE 1WSW (MCHENRY)..................2.57 (2)
LAKE IN THE HILLS 2.5W (MCHENRY).............2.51 (2)
WONDER LAKE 1WNW (MCHENRY)...................2.47 (2)
OHARE (COOK).................................2.33 (2)
WINNETKA 1ESE (COOK).........................2.33 (2)
BELVIDERE 2NW (BOONE)........................2.22 (2)
PARK RIDGE (COOK)............................2.21 (2)
MANTENO 2NW (KANKAKEE).......................2.20 (2)
VILLA PARK 1NW (DU PAGE).....................2.10 (2)
WOODSTOCK 4SW (MCHENRY)......................2.09 (2)
ELMHURST 1ESE (DU PAGE)......................1.84 (2)
HARWOOD HEIGHTS (COOK).......................1.79 (2)
BELVIDERE (BOONE)............................1.77 (2)
HEBRON (MCHENRY).............................1.68 (2)
PLAINFIELD 5SW (KENDALL).....................1.68 (2)
ELMHURST (DU PAGE)...........................1.58 (2)
WOODSTOCK 5NW (MCHENRY)......................1.54 (2)
OAK PARK 1SW (COOK)..........................1.54 (2)
LINCOLNWOOD 2E (COOK)........................1.47 (2)
ROCKFORD 2ENE (WINNEBAGO)....................1.46 (2)
BEECHER 3SSE (WILL)..........................1.45 (2)
CAROL STREAM (DU PAGE).......................1.43 (2)
CHATSWORTH (LIVINGSTON)......................1.40 (2)
OAK PARK 2S (COOK)...........................1.39 (2)
GLEN ELLYN 1NNW (DU PAGE)....................1.37 (2)
ROCKFORD 1NW (WINNEBAGO).....................1.37 (2)
LOMBARD 1NNW (DU PAGE).......................1.31 (2)
ROGERS PARK 2SW (COOK).......................1.28 (2)
CHICAGO 6ESE (COOK)..........................1.25 (2)
OAK PARK 1NNE (COOK).........................1.21 (2)
DWIGHT (LIVINGSTON)..........................1.19 (2)
ROCKFORD 3NE (WINNEBAGO).....................1.18 (2)
STREATOR 1WSW (LA SALLE).....................1.17 (2)
CAPRON (BOONE)...............................1.16 (2)
HARVARD (MCHENRY)............................1.15 (2)
GLEN ELLYN 1WSW (DU PAGE)....................1.13 (2)
STREATOR 4ENE (LA SALLE).....................1.12 (2)
GENEVA 1SSW (KANE)...........................1.10 (2)
PLAINFIELD 2SSE (WILL).......................1.09 (2)
BONFIELD 4WSW (KANKAKEE).....................1.08 (2)
GENOA (DE KALB)..............................1.07 (2)
WHEATON 2NNE (DU PAGE).......................1.05 (2)
LILY LAKE 2E (KANE)..........................1.03 (2)
ELWOOD 5NE (WILL)............................1.02 (2)
INDIANA 2-DAY RAINFALL
LOCATION (COUNTY): AMT(IN) REPORTS
REMINGTON (JASPER)...........................1.56 (2)
DE MOTTE 1SSW (JASPER).......................1.40 (2)
LOWELL (LAKE)................................1.22 (2)
KENTLAND 2SSE (NEWTON).......................1.03 (2)
$$
Storm Reports
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
505 AM CDT FRI JUL 14 2017
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1033 PM HAIL PINGREE GROVE 42.07N 88.41W
07/11/2017 E1.00 INCH KANE IL TRAINED SPOTTER
ALSO 3-5 INCH DIAMETER LIMBS DOWN
1039 PM TSTM WND GST PINGREE GROVE 42.07N 88.41W
07/11/2017 M78.00 MPH KANE IL MESONET
MEASURED ON HOME WEATHER STATION
1115 PM FLASH FLOOD PINGREE GROVE 42.07N 88.41W
07/11/2017 KANE IL PUBLIC
PUBLIC REPORT OF MULTIPLE CARS STUCK IN WATER NEAR ROUTE
47 AND ROUTE 72 NEAR PINGREE GROVE. MANY ROADS WEST OF
ELGIN NOT PASSIBLE. VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.
1125 PM HEAVY RAIN 4 S CARPENTERSVILLE 42.06N 88.26W
07/11/2017 M2.01 INCH KANE IL COCORAHS
FELL IN AN HOUR AND 40 MINUTES ENDING AT 1125 PM.
1140 PM FLASH FLOOD ELGIN 42.04N 88.29W
07/11/2017 KANE IL LAW ENFORCEMENT
NUMERIOUS ROADS FLOODED AND IMPASSABLE. BASEMENTS ACROSS
THE AREA ALSO FLOODED.
0200 AM FLASH FLOOD LIBERTYVILLE 42.28N 87.97W
07/12/2017 LAKE IL LAW ENFORCEMENT
REPORTS OF SIGNIFICANT FLASH FLOODING WITH NUMERIOUS
ROADS IMPASSABLE.
0334 AM HEAVY RAIN 1 NNW LINDENHURST 42.43N 88.04W
07/12/2017 M4.20 INCH LAKE IL COCORAHS
0400 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 W GURNEE 42.38N 87.98W
07/12/2017 M5.40 INCH LAKE IL COCORAHS
0455 AM HEAVY RAIN 3 W ELGIN 42.04N 88.35W
07/12/2017 M4.29 INCH KANE IL COCORAHS
0506 AM HEAVY RAIN LIBERTYVILLE 42.28N 87.97W
07/12/2017 M5.17 INCH LAKE IL EMERGENCY MNGR
0515 AM HEAVY RAIN 1 W LAKE BLUFF 42.28N 87.87W
07/12/2017 M5.38 INCH LAKE IL COCORAHS
0526 AM HEAVY RAIN GURNEE 42.38N 87.94W
07/12/2017 M3.42 INCH LAKE IL COCORAHS
0530 AM FLASH FLOOD 2 SW NORTH CHICAGO 42.30N 87.89W
07/12/2017 LAKE IL BROADCAST MEDIA
HIGH FLOOD WATERS AT US-41 AND IL-137
0545 AM HEAVY RAIN 1 SSW LAKE VILLA 42.40N 88.09W
07/12/2017 M5.31 INCH LAKE IL COCORAHS
0557 AM FLASH FLOOD GURNEE 42.38N 87.94W
07/12/2017 LAKE IL DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
IL-132 CLOSED BETWEEN OPLAINE RD AND FIRST ST DUE TO
FLOODING
0600 AM FLASH FLOOD MUNDELEIN 42.27N 88.00W
07/12/2017 LAKE IL BROADCAST MEDIA
WATER AT LEAST 8-10 INCHES DEEP AT LINCOLN AND DIVISION.
NUMEROUS HOUSES FLOODED AND PEOPLE RESCUED BY RAFTS.
0600 AM FLASH FLOOD LIBERTYVILLE 42.28N 87.97W
07/12/2017 LAKE IL BROADCAST MEDIA
NORTHBOUND 45 BLOCKED AT IL-137 DUE TO HIGH STANDING
WATER. BUTTERFIELD/VIRGINIA BLOCKED PETERSON RD BLOCKED
BY INDEPENDENCE RT 21 BLOCKED NORTH OF IL-60
0633 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 SE LAKEMOOR 42.32N 88.18W
07/12/2017 M2.42 INCH LAKE IL COCORAHS
0638 AM HEAVY RAIN 3 SE FOX LAKE 42.38N 88.14W
07/12/2017 M4.46 INCH LAKE IL PUBLIC
0648 AM HEAVY RAIN MUNDELEIN 42.27N 88.00W
07/12/2017 M6.75 INCH LAKE IL PUBLIC
0657 AM HEAVY RAIN ROUND LAKE PARK 42.32N 88.06W
07/12/2017 M7.13 INCH LAKE IL PUBLIC
0825 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 W GURNEE 42.38N 87.98W
07/12/2017 M1.02 INCH LAKE IL COCORAHS
RAIN FELL IN THE PAST 1 HOUR.
0840 AM HAIL ELK GROVE VILLAGE 42.01N 87.99W
07/12/2017 M0.75 INCH COOK IL TRAINED SPOTTER
0900 AM HEAVY RAIN 1 N LINCOLNSHIRE 42.21N 87.92W
07/12/2017 M1.01 INCH LAKE IL COCORAHS
RAIN IN THE PAST HOUR
0913 AM HAIL CARY 42.21N 88.25W
07/12/2017 M0.75 INCH MCHENRY IL TRAINED SPOTTER
0919 AM HAIL MUNDELEIN 42.27N 88.00W
07/12/2017 M0.75 INCH LAKE IL TRAINED SPOTTER
0920 AM TSTM WND DMG BUFFALO GROVE 42.17N 87.96W
07/12/2017 LAKE IL LAW ENFORCEMENT
BRANCHES DOWN.
0935 AM HAIL GLENVIEW 42.08N 87.82W
07/12/2017 E0.75 INCH COOK IL PUBLIC
0940 AM MARINE TSTM WIND 6 E GLENCOE 42.13N 87.65W
07/12/2017 M51.00 MPH LMZ740 IL BUOY
0943 AM HEAVY RAIN HOFFMAN ESTATES 42.06N 88.14W
07/12/2017 M1.70 INCH COOK IL TRAINED SPOTTER
RAIN FELL IN THE PAST 45 MINUTES. ALSO SMALL HAIL.
0945 AM TSTM WND DMG 4 SW PINGREE GROVE 42.02N 88.46W
07/12/2017 KANE IL PUBLIC
TWENTY POWER LINE POLES SNAPPED OUT AT BASE. TIME
ESTIMATED OFF OF RADAR.
0950 AM MARINE TSTM WIND 4 NE CHICAGO 41.92N 87.57W
07/12/2017 M47.00 MPH LMZ741 IL C-MAN STATION
1022 AM FLOOD CHICAGO 41.88N 87.63W
07/12/2017 COOK IL PUBLIC
STANDING WATER OF TWO TO SIX INCHES NEAR LAKE SHORE DRIVE
AND BELMONT.
0300 PM HEAVY RAIN 5 NNW ADDISON 42.00N 88.05W
07/12/2017 E1.66 INCH COOK IL COCORAHS
LOW AREA PONDING SOUTHWEST SIDE OF ELK GROVE
VILLAGE.TOTAL SINCE 530 AM
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 WSW LAKE VILLA 42.41N 88.12W
07/13/2017 M7.11 INCH LAKE IL COCORAHS
2 DAY TOTAL
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 SE LAKEMOOR 42.32N 88.18W
07/13/2017 M4.55 INCH LAKE IL COCORAHS
2 DAY TOTAL
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN 1 W LAKE BLUFF 42.28N 87.87W
07/13/2017 M6.69 INCH LAKE IL COCORAHS
2 DAY TOTAL
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN 1 S ELGIN 42.03N 88.29W
07/13/2017 M7.31 INCH KANE IL COCORAHS
2 DAY TOTAL
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 W GURNEE 42.38N 87.98W
07/13/2017 M7.22 INCH LAKE IL COCORAHS
2 DAY TOTAL
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN 1 E CARPENTERSVILLE 42.12N 88.25W
07/13/2017 M5.00 INCH KANE IL COCORAHS
2 DAY TOTAL
Additional
Shelf Cloud Photos From July 12
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Cicero, IL
Courtesy of Kevin Sheely
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Near Evanston Beach
Courtesy of Planet Chicago
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Near Campton Hills
Courtesy of Tim Felinski
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