Melting snow, heavy fog, raising temperatures, and then some
sleet and rain bring water into a local area known and feared
for flooding in the past, and this location and time not too
long ago.  We had heavy rains and floods in the area last fall
with almost 9-10 inches of precipitation in the region.

December 27^th brought additional barricades and staff to Chicago Ave. and Thatcher in River Forest.  The night before the same area had sandbags placed several feet high and these were now supplemented with large concrete highway barriers to add additional strength. 

The water had swollen the Des Plaines River to double its width in some regions and spilling over into the Forest Preserves in others.  Chicago Avenue had not been breached by the water, though the forest preserve and regional ponds were fairly well engulfed.  That evening with more water coming from the north called extra reserves of workers from Cook County to place additional sand bags in the area of the River and Lake Street
in River Forest. 

The speed and quantity of people working gave an additional degree of seriousness for the potential of another 100-year flood.    The following day we found crews and equipment withdrawn, with sandbags still in place. The adjacent gated community in River Forest was still safe and the insurance companies can rest at ease from the millions of dollars that might have been claimed if the waters had crested.  It was another several days before Chicago Avenue was open to
traffic between First Avenue and Thatcher.  The Des Plaines
still remained two or more times its typical width and water stretched far into the forests, but the Des Plaines River
no longer looked to be an eminent danger. 

On January 4th Ottawa, IL, was experiencing flooding in low-lying areas of town.  (Link provided below.)

We now find Washington State and some of its rivers from unseasonably warm conditions causing snow to melt and with some additional rain are wreaking havoc in America’s northwest.