A day after tornadoes hit suburbs, ‘torrential rainfall’ expected to affect area south of I-80 into NW Indiana

A day after two tornadoes touched down in the suburbs, “torrential rain” was expected across large swaths of the Chicago area and northwest Indiana.

By 9:45 a.m. Sunday, rain that was affecting Chicago had shifted to the area south of the Interstate 80 corridor and stretched into northwest Indiana, according to Lee Carlaw, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service.

The weather service warned heavy rain from the storm could bring lightning and flood roads, low-lying areas, fields and cause renewed rises in streams and creeks. Up to two inches of rain was expected, Carlaw said.

A flood watch warning of potential flash flooding remained in effect until at least noon throughout portions of northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana, the weather service said.

A cold front could bring additional showers to the Chicago area in the afternoon, but Carlaw said “nothing severe” was expected.

Since early Saturday, he said, roughly two inches of rain has been recorded at O’Hare International Airport. On Saturday, a pair of relatively weak tornadoes also touched down in Naperville, Crest Hill and Joliet, the weather service said. They respectively brought peak winds of 80 and 70 mph.

Temperatures in the Chicago area were expected to reach the low 80s on Sunday and remain cooler throughout much of the week, Carlaw said.