Chicago Weather: Storms knock over CTA canopy, snarl train service
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Severe storms that rolled through Chicago Sunday evening snarled CTA Blue, Red and Brown line service by knocking debris onto the tracks.
An aluminum canopy covering a pedestrian walkway was knocked onto the CTA Blue Line tracks at the Illinois Medical District station at about 7 p.m. A CTA spokesperson said it was immediately unclear if lightning or wind, or a combination, were to blame. The concrete ramp was still intact. No injuries were reported.
A Twitter video from a passenger in a vehicle traveling along the Blue Line tracks showed the dramatic moments as the canopy fell over.
CTA Blue Line service was briefly stopped in both directions between Pulaski and LaSalle, but operating on a single track at about 10:30 p.m. Service is expected to be back to normal by morning, CTA said.
CTA Red and Brown lines were temporarily stopped due to tree debris falling on the track at Armitage. Brown Line service was impacted between Loop and Southport. Red Line service was impacted between Belmont and Grand.
The Chicago River was near flooding level Sunday night in the Albany Park neighborhood where residents within a block of the river were told to remove their vehicles to avoid flood damage. Ald. Margaret Laurino (39th Ward) said city workers were working on mitigating the issue, according to her Facebook page.
In Bucktown, the storm brought down utility poles and trees, including one over a vehicle on Seeley Avenue. The driver needed help getting out of the car.
"When (the tree) snapped it started pinning one guy in his car, so he couldn't even get out of his car," said witness Ronald Ayala.
Most of Sunday was quiet and dry. By the end of the night, most counties in northeast Illinois and Lake County in Indiana saw severe thunderstorm warnings. Starting at about 5 p.m., Cook and Lake counties, including the communities of Rolling Meadows, Elk Grove, Niles and Evanston, saw storms and large hail. A second storm system dumped heavy rain throughout Chicago between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.
The heat continued Sunday, which was the fourth day in a row with temperatures in the 90s. A heat advisory was in effect for most of the Chicago area most of the day with Heat Index values reaching upwards of 112 degrees Sunday afternoon.
Watch the latest forecast from the First Alert Weather Team:
'RACE TO MACKINAC' BOATS ENCOUNTER STORMS
Some of the 326 boats which participated in the 108th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac encountered storms late Saturday and early Sunday.
The 333-mile race from Chicago to Mackinac Island in northern Michigan kicked off on Saturday. Arete reached the island first, according to the race's Facebook page.
The event is the longest freshwater sailing race in the world.
SATURDAY STORMS KNOCK POWER OUT, FLOOD ROADS
A hot and humid Saturday was punctuated with evening thunderstorms that swept through the Chicago area, causing high winds, heavy rains, flooding and the delay of a Coldplay concert at Soldier Field.
The storms caused power outages, too. As of Sunday afternoon, 99 percent of the nearly 60,000 ComEd customers who lost power had service restored.
The Edens Expressway flooded Saturday night but has since receded. At one point, the water rose up to three feet high.
The water was so high at the Winnetka underpass on the Edens, a spot that tends to flood often, several people got stuck. Five cars with people inside became stuck on the Edens in the deep water and had to be rescued.
When help arrived, emergency crews brought a raft out to rescue the stranded motorists.
No one was hurt but we're told several homes in the area also flooded.
The north suburbs, particularly around Winnetka and Northfield, saw the most rain with upwards of four inches.
Many communities saw major flooding, but the heavy rain also canceled the New Edition concert at the UIC-Pavilion due to flooding inside the venue.
Here are the best tips to stay safe during the hot summer months:
