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Record Heat for the Intermountain West and Northern Plains; Heavy Rainfall and Severe Weather Threats

Record setting heat is expected over the next several days from the Intermountain West through the northern Plains. Furthermore, fire weather concerns increase with dry and breezy conditions. Meanwhile, heavy rainfall and severe thunderstorm threats for the Ohio/Tennessee Valleys, central Appalachians and Southeast today. The threat shifts to central Gulf Coast and across central Texas this week. Read More >

Overview

Fast Facts:

  • Flash flooding and scattered strong thunderstorm winds occurred on the night of Thursday, May 14 into Friday, May 15.
  • Rainfall amounts from this round of storms, along with rainfall earlier in the day on Thursday, brought some totals in excess of four inches in parts of the Chicago metro (including the official measurement at O'Hare International Airport), and also in/near Kankakee County.
  • The heavy rain resulted in some impassible roads due to water.
  • There was a swath of notable wind damage to primarily trees in north central Illinois (Lee & DeKalb Counties) into the far western suburbs of Chicago (Kane County), and while broad strong winds are the main culprit, it's possible some of this was caused by a brief tornado or two.
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Summary
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Additional recaps can be found on the NWS Chicago Past Events Page
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