Flash Flood in Illinois, May 28, 1996

Thunderstorms moved across Ogle and Winnebago counties during the morning on May 28th. Street flooding was reported in Rockford around 9am. Thunderstorms continued to traverse across the same areas in Ogle and Winnebago counties in the in the classic "train echo" fashion. Doppler radar estimated as much as 5 inches of rain had fallen in less than 8 hours. Many vehicles were reported stranded in the Rockford area. Residents from 11 homes in Davis Junction wer evacuated as flash flooding inundated parts of the town. Flooding closed Illinois 72 between Byron and Illinois 251. Residents of 152 trailers in Evergreen Mobile home park in Sycamore were evacuated from rising flood waters. A few residents were evacuated from their homes on Shannon Lane just west of Sycamore. Small creeks in DeKalb, Winnebago, and Boone counties quickly rose out of their banks and flooded low lying areas. As much as 2.5 inches of rain in less than one hour's time was reported in DeKalb Illinois. The heavy rainfall also caused many creeks to overflow their banks in Southern Cook county.