Heavy Rain Shuts Parts Of Eisenhower, Kennedy, Blue Line
CHICAGO (STMW) -- Several inches of rain fell across the Chicago area overnight, particularly on the South and Southwest sides, prompting road closures and CTA delays.
Three inches of rain fell at Midway Airport between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. Friday, according to the National Weather Service. Another 1.47 inches fell at O'Hare during the same time.
As of 4 a.m., the eastbound lanes of the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) were closed at 1st Avenue in Maywood, according to the Illinois State Police. All lanes of westbound traffic were closed except for the right shoulder.
The westbound lanes of the Kennedy Expressway (I-90) were also closed at Kimball Avenue after a crash occurred about 3:30 a.m. that involved two semi trucks, police said. No injuries were reported.
Just before 4 a.m., the CTA suspended Blue Line service between the Forest Park and Harlem stations due to flooding.
The National Weather Service upgraded its initial flood advisory to the warning about 2:20 a.m. for Cook and DuPage counties, as well as parts of Lake County in northwest Indiana. However, by 4 a.m., the severe weather had moved out of the area, but lighter precipitation was still expected until about 6 a.m., according to the weather service.
Late Friday and early Saturday also face a chance of widespread rainfall, according to the weather service. Some storms could again bring heavy rain to the area.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2014. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)