Dear Tom,
In the early 1980s, I was driving to work just before midnight in early December in a blinding rainstorm and many roads were flooded. Can you provide me with the details?
Greg M. Carol Stream
Dear Greg,
You were driving to work late in the evening of December 2, 1982, during Chicago’s heaviest-ever December rainfall event. The city’s official rainfall on December 2 was 4.47 inches. The downpours produced widespread flooding, causing significant damage with much of the area declared a disaster area. Flooding was especially bad in the Deerfield with severe flooding along the North Branch of the Chicago River. December 1982 went on to produce 8.56 inches of rain, the most ever in December. Another heavy rain situation occurred that month on a thundery Christmas Eve when 1.71 inches of rain fell.