After a brief respite, more rain was expected Thursday, threatening to flood already-soaked portions of the Chicago area even more amid a week of wet weather.
A Flash Flood Watch was in effect for several counties across the region, including Cook, De Kalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, La Salle, Lake, McHenry and Will counties in Illinois, as well as Lake County in Indiana.
A Flood Warning was also in effect for parts of Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, La Salle, McHenry and Will counties in Illinois, as well as La Porte, Jasper, Lake and Newton counties in northwest Indiana.
The alerts from the National Weather Service were expected to be in effect through varying times, many through Thursday evening but some ending as late as Friday afternoon.
According to forecasts, another round of moderate to heavy rainfall is expected to arrive Thursday, with showers and thunderstorms developing that could bring an additional inch to 1.5 inches of rain to the area before all is said and done.
Localized flash flooding is possible because of the storms, and residents are encouraged to keep an eye on streams, creeks, and rivers near their homes.
Local
Travellers could also face challenges, as already saturated ground will likely cause rain to run onto roadways, causing localized street flooding. Overwhelmed drainage systems may not be able to handle the excess rain, causing more road closures in impacted areas.
Road closures have already been reported in several suburban communities, including Naperville, Plainfield, and Orland Park, and more are expected as the rain resumes overnight.
To make matters worse, more flooding is expected along numerous area waterways. The Kankakee River is expected to rise above flood stage in several areas, with moderate flooding forecast along the river in Wilmington. The water is expected to rise more than four feet above flood stage, putting some structures at risk in Wilmington and Kankakee.
Other area rivers, including the DuPage, Little Calumet, and Des Plaines rivers, are all expected to rise above flood stage in the coming days.
For more information and a full list of flood warnings, visit the NBC 5 weather alerts page.
