Science & Nature
Thursday’s Deluge Was a Record-Setter in Chicago and Even the Bulls Got Rained Out
(Steve Godomski / iStock)
It was a dark and stormy and weirdly warm night.
According to the Chicago office of the National Weather Service, Thursday’s rainfall was a record-setter, with 1.92 inches of precipitation measured at O’Hare Airport, the city’s official weather station.
The previous record for Jan. 8 was 1.18 inches, set back in 1935. Thursday now also stands as the third rainiest January day on record. It’s topped only by the 2.76 inches that fell on Jan. 12, 1960, and 2.29 inches on Jan. 10, 1975.
The deluge led to localized flooding, compounded in many instances by clogged storm sewer drains. Numerous Chicagoans shared their efforts on social media to clear drains on residential streets.
A spokesperson with Chicago’s Department of Streets and Sanitation said the department was coordinating with the Water Department and the Office of Emergency Management Communications to identify flooded viaduct locations and was dispatching crews to address the problem.
While January precipitation more typically falls in the form of snow, uncommonly high temperatures led to an altogether different kind of winter storm.
The mercury hit a balmy 60 degrees in the midnight hour Friday morning, tying a record for Jan. 9 set in 1880.
The wacky weather led to a bizarre “rain out” situation at the United Center during Thursday night’s game between the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat.
Condensation on the court — which sits on top of an ice rink the Blackhawks used on Wednesday — had staff mopping up for 90 minutes, attempting to make the surface playable, before the game was postponed until a later date still TBD, according to ABC-7.
Contact Patty Wetli: [email protected]
