
Authorities warned against traveling Saturday morning after thunderstorms brought “considerable flooding” to Lake County, causing numerous vehicles to get stuck in high-standing water.
“Strong to severe” thunderstorms moved across northern Illinois, according to the National Weather Service.
High winds and hail were also reported.
The storms brought “very heavy rainfall” that resulted in areas of flash flooding, mainly in Lake County and in portions of eastern McHenry County, the NWS said.
The flooding prompted emergency response calls for water rescues along the North Shore.
Several vehicles in Lake Bluff, Lake Forest and Highland Park got stuck in the flooding on roadways. Route 41 experienced heavy flooding.
The NWS reported around 6 a.m. that the flash flood warning for central Lake County was for “considerable flooding” that gradually developed from heavy rainfall of 2.5 to five inches late last night into early this morning.
“With daybreak comes an increased risk as more people head out and about. In talking with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, travel is ill advised right now in central Lake County, including in/near Lake Bluff,” the NWS said.
Additional “strong to severe” thunderstorms are expected Saturday evening in the Chicagoland area.
The storms are expected to develop across southern Minnesota Saturday afternoon and track east to southeast toward the area into the evening.
At least the southern edge of the line of storms is expected to brush far northern Illinois, with the potential for storms to extend farther south through much of northern Illinois, the NWS said.
Strong damaging winds will accompany the storms along with a localized flooding threat.