NORWOOD PARK — Thunderstorms late Tuesday caused severe flooding on the Northwest Side, and there’s more rain in the forecast.
According to the National Weather Service, 2.43 inches of rain were recorded at O’Hare Airport on Tuesday, making it the rainiest April day since 2013. WGN-TV Meteorologist Bill Snyder said that as of Wednesday, which is the halfway point of meteorological spring, the city has already seen 9.29 inches of rain, five inches higher than normal.
“That’s the second wettest first half of spring on record of the past 155 years,” Snyder told Block Club.
There were 305 calls made to 3-1-1 for flooded basements and 264 calls for street flooding on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to data from the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications. The majority of calls came from wards on the Far Northwest Side.
A daily record rainfall of 2.43” was set at #Chicago-O’Hare yesterday (shattered previous record of 1.21″ from 1949). This was the rainiest April day at ORD since 4/18/2013 (3.54″). The 2.43” that fell yesterday makes it the 6th rainiest April day on record for Chicago. #ILwx
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) April 15, 2026
Rebecca Anderson, who lives in the Gladstone Park/Norwood Park area, said she woke up to about an inch of sewage water in her basement Wednesday and that at least six other neighbors on her block also experienced flooding.
Edison Park resident Claudia Badillo said her street flooded so severely that its sidewalk was submerged for a few hours Tuesday night.
“I’ve lived in this house since July 2020 and I’ve never seen the water levels reach this high,” Badillo said.
A flooded portion of Harlem Avenue between Touhy and Milwaukee avenues on April 14, 2026. Credit: Provided
More thunderstorms are in the forecast for Wednesday evening as the National Weather Service predicts another quarter to a half-inch of rain. The entire city is under a flood watch until 1 a.m. Thursday.
Snyder said the city “could easily” see another 1-2 inches of rain by Saturday afternoon. He said a strong cold front will put an end to the rain by Saturday.
In a Wednesday news release, the Office of Emergency Management and Communications urged drivers to avoid streets with standing water and viaducts in low-lying areas. The office also encouraged residents to report flooding by dialing 3-1-1 or online at 311.chicago.gov.
Flooding has been a worsening problem in Chicago for years. In the summer of 2023, more than 1,000 basements were flooded after 9 inches of rain fell in just 24 hours. Most of the flooded homes were located on the Northwest and West Sides and many West Side residents are still dealing with mold and other flood-related damage.
Mary C., who declined to provide her last name, bought a home in Jefferson Park in 2022 and told Block Club that her basement flooded in 2023 and again on Tuesday.
“It’s been a horrible experience,” she said. “I wish the ward or city could help with the damages or just get to the root of the issue and fix it.”
Annual precipitation in Illinois has increased by about 5 inches over the past 120 years, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Storms are also getting more severe as the number of 2-inch rain days in the state has increased by 40 percent since the beginning of the 20th century, data shows.
Advocates have urged the city to address flooding issues by installing extra underground holding tanks in flood-prone neighborhoods and building green infrastructure that would allow rainwater to soak into the ground.
“It is important that people understand this will continue to happen and get worse with the climate changing,” said Jennifer Lizak, a Norwood Park resident who had about 3 inches of water in her basement on Tuesday.
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