The rain system that moved through the Midwest the last two days brought with it a bonanza of rainfall and melted snowfall. Temperatures with the system pushed into the 40s and 50s north to the 60s south to melt the snow, especially from Illinois southward. There still is an extensive snowpack stretching from southwest Iowa to extreme northern Illinois near the Wisconsin border to northern Michigan. A graphic can be found here.
The graphic from the NWS shows part of the two day rainfall totals. A broad band of 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches that actually ran from central Texas to northern Michigan with an even heavier band from western Ohio to Louisiana. If you add in the melted snow which contained from 1/2 to 1 inch of water, many places in essence received from 1 1/4 to 2 1/2 inches of water. All of this water will continue the process of ending the long term drought, especially east of the Mississippi river.
As a result of the rain and melting snow over northern Illinois, many rivers and streams are near or above bankfull. The first time that statement can be made in over a year. The drought really had its beginning last winter when it was warm and dry. The rivers can be followed here with stages, flows, and forecasts.
It will be on the chilly side the next few days over the Chicago metro area in the wake of the storm system. Highs will only be in the 35-40 range before a bust of warming winds sends high to around 50 for Friday. The normal highs is now up to 45 and rising. Some very light spits of precipitation are possible through Tuesday before a total dry out for Wednesday.
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