Heavy Rain, Flooding Closes Highland Park Roads

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — The National Weather Service issues a hazardous weather outlook for the area Tuesday, as several streets around Highland Park remain closed due to flooding. Water levels in area rivers and creeks have risen. A flood warning has been issued for communities surrounding the Des Plaines River. Forecasts predict a limited risk of thunderstorms in the coming days, with the Des Plaines, DuPage and Fox rivers remaining at flood levels.

In the 48 hours ending May 22, the National Weather Service reported 2.56 inches of rain in Highwood, 2.4 inches in Riverwoods and 2.18 inches at the Chicago Botanic Garden. It has been the wettest May since 1945 and the third wettest on record in the Chicago area, with 7.31 inches of rain in the first three weeks of the month.

According to the City of Highland Park, the following roads were closed and barricaded following days of heavy rainfall:

• Tanglewood Court
• Taylor Avenue
• Perennial Lane

If your street becomes flooded contact the Highland Park Department of Public Works at 847-432-0807 during business hours or the non-emergency line after hours at 847-432-7730. If you report the incident through the city's non-emergency tracker, other residents will be able to see if the street has already been reported and see the status of the work.

Standing water remained Tuesday in several areas of Larry Fink Memorial Park, according to the Park District of Highland Park. The soccer fields were underwater and parts of the pond path were flooded. Residents were asked to avoid the areas under the water recedes.

The Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center offered the following safety tips in case of flooding.

• Don't try to cross flooded streams or rivers, no matter how calm or shallow they appear to be.
• Floodwater can contain disease-causing bacteria, so avoid as much contact with it as possible and make sure to stop kids and pets from playing in or drinking water left in flooded areas.
• Wash hands and fingernails thoroughly after any contact with floodwater.
• Before entering a flooded home or basement, check for safety threats to ensure there's no electrical hazards, leaking gas or other dangers.

The next several days could provide an opportunity to dry out, as temperatures rise heading in to Memorial Day weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

Top photo: Fink Park flooding in 2017 (Park District of Highland Park)