Hundreds of thousands of people in a major Midwestern city were urged to “take immediate precautions to protect life and property” on Friday as heavy rainfall ushered in flash floods.
Why it Matters
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a flash flood warning for key parts of Chicago on Friday, urging approximately 600,000 residents to take immediate action to protect life and property.
Flash flooding can result in swift and dangerous conditions, causing hazards for motorists and residents, as well as threats to infrastructure in one of the largest cities in the United States. Such warnings are critical for public safety as they alert residents to imminent weather threats and guide appropriate response behaviors.
What To Know
At 11:43 a.m. Central Daylight Time, the NWS in Chicago issued a flash flood warning for east central Cook County and southeastern DuPage County, covering major portions of Chicago and several surrounding neighborhoods and suburban communities. The warning remains in effect until 2:45 p.m. CDT due to heavy thunderstorms producing significant rainfall in the area.
According to radar and automated rain gauges, up to 2 inches of rain had already fallen at the time of the alert, with more heavy rain ongoing in the affected zone. Officials warned that flash flooding was either ongoing or expected to begin shortly and could impact creeks, streams, drainage ditches, streets, underpasses, and low-lying or poor-drainage areas…