People across the greater Chicago area on Tuesday were dealing with the effects of the heavy thunderstorms and damaging winds from the day before.
A clear, sunny day brought some relief, as floodwaters receded, basements started to dry out, damages were assessed and power was being restored across the region.
In Downers Grove, meanwhile, the search continued for a contractor who was working in a sewer when the storm hit and remains missing. Another worker who was in the sewer at the time has been found safe.
Search and rescue efforts continue for a Downers Grove contractor who went missing during Monday’s storms.
Big wind gusts were recorded across the city and suburbs, topping out at 82 mph recorded in Waukegan, according to the National Weather Service. Midway Airport recorded winds of 73 mph, and O’Hare Airport saw 65 mph winds. In northwest Indiana, Valparaiso saw 64 mph gusts.
With the high winds came heavy rain, overwhelming streets and drainage systems. Chicago’s official climate station at O’Hare measured 1.76 inches of rain, while Midway received 2.94 inches. Much of the Chicago area saw two to four inches of rain.
In some pockets of Cook County those two inches of rain falling in just two hours, according to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District.
The two major reservoirs managing that rainfall both are filling, according to the MWRD, with McCook Reservoir about 56% full, storing nearly 2 billion gallons. The Thornton Reservoir, to the south, is about 34% full, storing nearly 2.7 billion gallons.
The weather service sent out storm survey teams Tuesday to determine whether tornadoes touched down in southern Cook County, focusing on Harvey and Lansing, and in DuPage County, including Carol Stream and Glen Ellyn.
The city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications reported 2,322 tree emergency calls and 973 reports of tree debris. There have also been 623 reports of water on streets, 599 flooded basements and 47 flooded viaducts around Chicago as well as 310 traffic signals out, 220 streetlights out, 160 downed wires and 116 damaged streetlight poles as of Tuesday afternoon.
According to ComEd, more than 530,000 electric customers lost power. By Tuesday morning, utility crews had restored electricity to nearly 300,000 customers, according to ComEd, which expects that by noon Wednesday, it will have restoredpower to about 80% of those who lost their electricity. The rest of ComEd customers will have power restored by 10 p.m. Friday, according to the utility.
Officials said the communities hit hardest during from Monday’s storm include Chicago Heights, Maywood, Crestwood, Bolingbrook, University Park, Libertyville and portions of the South Side.
The Illinois American Red Cross has also opened two shelters, in Steger and Gurnee, to help those impacted by the storm. According to regional communications director Connie Esparza, many Illinoisans have come to the shelter for access to electricity and food, with some staying overnight.
As cleanup efforts continue, officials are urging residents to avoid downed power lines, report hazards and use caution while traveling through areas still affected by flooding, fallen trees and power outages.