Heavy rains caused massive impacts around the Chicago area and the surrounding suburbs on Sunday, with seven or more inches of rain falling in some locations.
The rain caused impacts on motorists and on the sports world, with Chicago's NASCAR Street Race and Sunday's Cubs game both suffering delays.
Here is a recap of the headlines around the area.
Chicago area sees 3-7 inches of rain, widespread flooding
Torrential downpours brought anywhere from three to seven inches of rain to parts of the Chicago area on Sunday, leading to intense flooding.
Floodwaters trapped drivers in their vehicles, led officials to shut down entire expressways and damaged homes. In a tweet, the National Weather Service said radar estimates and rainfall reports indicate widespread rain totals of 3 to 7 inches across Cook County. In some cases, localized rain totals may have surpassed 8 inches.
See latest rainfall totals here.
Local
NASCAR cut short, flood cleanup continues in Chicago area
Officials in Chicago were still deploying resources after heavy rains impacted the city late Sunday.
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Some parts of the city received six or more inches of rain, leading officials with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago to reverse the pumps that normally cause the Chicago River to flow away from Lake Michigan.
As a result, Chicago beaches were closed due to poor water quality, and may remain closed through the Fourth of July holiday.
The Chicago Riverwalk also closed because of elevated water levels, but it is unclear when water levels will drop enough for it to reopen.
City residents are being asked to limit their water usage, including limiting their showers and avoiding washing dishes or doing laundry to help keep water out of the city's sewer system.
Elsewhere, Chicago-area expressways saw significant closures, with the Stevenson and Eisenhower Expressways completely closing for periods of time Sunday due to flooding.
The Edens Expressway, the Kennedy Expressway and the Bishop Ford also saw lane closures.
Transit was impacted as well, with the CTA's Blue and Pink lines both shutting down service in areas on the west side of the city because of the rain. Numerous bus routes also had to be altered to avoid flooded viaducts and low-lying roadways.
Travel and downtown were not the only things impacted. The city's first-ever NASCAR Street Race got off to a delayed start, with the green flag dropping after 5:30 p.m. Due to numerous caution flags and the late start, officials cut down the race to 75 laps, with Shane van Gisbergen securing the victory in his first-career Cup Series race, the first driver to achieve that feat in 60 years.
The earlier Xfinity Series race had been called off because of rain, with Cole Custer being declared the winner.
On the North Side, the Cubs' game against the Cleveland Guardians was delayed by nearly two hours after its start time had been moved back to 4:05 p.m. in anticipation of inclement weather.
Fortunately, the silver lining is that the area will dry out Monday, with the next chance of rain not emerging until at least Wednesday.
Chicago residents asked to limit water usage as city cleans up from intense flooding
With up to six or more inches of rain falling in the Chicago area Sunday, residents are being asked to limit their water use to allow time for sewers to clear and for the river to go down.
Residents are also being asked not to use extra water to shower, do laundry or dishes, which could hamper efforts to clear water from sewers and the Chicago River.
Chicago officials deploy assets to deal with street flooding, stranded motorists
According to city officials, the Department of Water Management has deployed flood mitigation equipment, and is working to assist motorists who are stuck in flooded viaducts.
Residents can call 311, visit 311.chicago.org or use the CHI311 app to report water in their basements, standing water on streets, or viaduct flooding in the city.
Chicago's NASCAR Street Race off to wild start
The Chicago NASCAR Street Race started just after 5:30 p.m. Sunday, and it took three laps for the first caution flag to fly.
That came courtesy of Kyle Busch, who crashed into a tire barrier early in the race.
Elsewhere, drivers have slid around the track frequently early, including pole-sitter Denny Hamlin, who hit the tires as he turned onto DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
MWRD reverses flow of Chicago River in downtown
Earlier Sunday, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District had announced it reversed the flow of the Chicago River at the Wilmette locks to help mitigate flooding concerns, but now officials say they have reversed the flow at the downtown locks as well.
That process began at approximately 4 p.m., according to officials:
Normally, the Chicago River flows away from Lake Michigan, part of an early-20th century engineering project to keep polluted water out of one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world, but when heavy rains occur, the flow can be reversed to help prevent flooding in the northern suburbs and in downtown Chicago.
Unfortunately, reversing the flow of the river also allows additional pollutants and sewage into the lake, which can cause water quality issues at city beaches.
Most beaches have already been closed by the Chicago Park District due to water quality issues, according to officials.
Drivers told to return to vehicles as NASCAR's Chicago race could soon start
According to reporters at Chicago's NASCAR Street Race, drivers are being told to return to their cars, with a potential start time at 5:15 p.m.
The race was originally supposed to begin at 4 p.m., but heavy rain caused flooding at various points on the street circuit, leaving the race in doubt.
The Xfinity Series race, which had been postponed Saturday and scheduled to resume Sunday morning, ultimately was canceled completely.
Lanes on the Edens, Eisenhower and Kennedy all remain closed
Flooding has shut down parts of several major Chicago expressways, including the Eisenhower Expressway.
That roadway remains closed in both directions between Des Plaines and Harlem Avenue because of flooding, with multiple vehicles getting stuck trying to get through the water.
The exit ramp on the outbound side of the Eisenhower onto Lake Street is closed because of flooding.
The inbound lanes of the Edens between Elston and Montrose are all closed except for the right shoulder because of flooding.
Two of the outbound lanes on the Kennedy Expressway are blocked at Addison Street because of flooding.
Cicero Avenue is closed between the Stevenson and Pershing Road because of flooding.
Archer is closed south of 63rd Street all the way to Roberts Road because of viaduct flooding in Bedford Park.
NASCAR in "holding pattern" for Cup Series race due to heavy rains
Officials had hoped to hold the Grant Park 220 NASCAR Cup Series race on time in Chicago Sunday, but heavy rains have led to a delay in the proceedings.
According to officials, NASCAR is "in a holding pattern," with the race not starting at 4:05 p.m.
Flight delays reported at Chicago airports due to flooding
Flight delays and cancellations, while not extensive, are being reported at Chicago's airports on Sunday because of the rainy conditions.
As of 4:45 p.m., a total of 53 flights have been canceled at O'Hare, and six at Midway. Each airport is averaging delays of approximately 20 minutes as crews work to keep runways clear.
Portion of Chicago Riverwalk closed due to flooding
Chicago's OEMC says that the Chicago Riverwalk is closed from Lake Street to State Street because of flooding Sunday afternoon:
Officials: Chicago River flow reversed due to heavy rains
Officials with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago announced Sunday that they have allowed water from the Chicago River to go into Lake Michigan to help alleviate shoreline flooding after heavy rains pounded the area.
According to a press release, up to four inches of rain have been recorded in some locations over the last two days, leading to the decision to reverse the river’s flow at the Wilmette Pumping Station.
Rain forces Chicago Cubs rain delay
Record-setting rain has delayed Sunday's Cubs game against the Guardians.
"Due to inclement weather in the area, we are in a delay," the team tweeted. "We will provide updates as they become available."
According to the team, the game was scheduled to start at 4:05 p.m., rather than the original 1:20 p.m. start time at Wrigley Field, but persistent rain led to an announcement that the start would be delayed further.
Weather forecasts originally called for rain to start to move out of the area in the early afternoon, but after heavy rains caused flash flooding and serious traffic issues across the city, another band of heavy showers moved into the city off of Lake Michigan, further inundating several neighborhoods.
It is unclear when Sunday's game will take place.
Flash flood warning extended until 6:30 p.m. after rain band moves into area
A flash flood warning for Chicago has been extended until 6:30 p.m. after a heavy band of rain moved back into the city from Lake Michigan.
The warning is in effect until 6:30 p.m. for parts of central and northeastern Cook County, according to the National Weather Service.
According to officials, a band of heavy rain is slowly moving onshore from Lake Michigan, producing rainfall rates of up to one inch per 30 minutes.
“Areas of previous flooding may again worsen quickly, especially in areas that received heavy rainfall earlier this morning,” officials said.
A flood advisory also remains in effect for Lake, DuPage and Cook counties until 5:30 p.m.
Those areas could see rainfall rates of up to one inch per hour, and the area includes Northbrook, Wilmette, Elmhurst and Lombard.
Stevenson reopens, heavy rain still possible this afternoon
Parts of the Stevenson Expressway that were closed due to earlier flooding have since reopened, but heavy rain could still occur in some areas Sunday afternoon.
According to the latest updates from the National Weather Service, life-threatening flooding is still possible in a large swath of Cook County, including in the city of Chicago.
The threat is growing for heavy rain elsewhere too, including a swath of Illinois that includes LaSalle and Kankakee counties, as well as Lake, Porter, Newton and Jasper counties in northwest Indiana.
In those areas, cloud-to-ground lightning is possible, and rain may be heavy enough at times to cause some flash flooding, according to officials. As a result, those officials are still urging residents to delay "non-essential travel" until roadways clear.
Fortunately, rain is supposed to slowly clear out of the area during the mid-to-late afternoon, with lower humidity and cooler temperatures expected.
NASCAR says Cup Series race expected to happen Sunday
Despite the earlier cancellation of the Xfinity Series race, NASCAR officials say they plan to run the Grant Park 220 Cup Series race as scheduled on Sunday:
Cole Custer was declared the winner of the Loop 121 race in Grant Park, with heavy rains and pooled water on the track leading to the decision to abandon the race.
Watch: Dramatic videos show impacts of rain in Chicago area
New videos sent to NBC Chicago show the wide-ranging impact of Sunday's rainfall.
NASCAR announces all concerts are canceled before Chicago Street Race
Due to standing water on Lower Hutchison Field in Chicago, NASCAR has announced that all musical performances prior to its Grant Park 220 race have been canceled.
Blues and country artist Charley Crockett was set to open things up before the Grant Park 220, and country superstar Miranda Lambert was also set to perform prior to the race.
The Chainsmokers’ live performance, which had been set to take place after the conclusion of The Loop 121 race, was canceled.
CTA trains, buses impacted by heavy rains
Area expressways have been hit hard by flooding Sunday afternoon, but the heavy rain is also having a massive impact on public transit.
According to the Chicago Transit Authority, service on the Blue Line is currently suspended between Harlem and Forest Park due because of flooding. The Pink Line is also stopped between Pulaski and 54th Street due to track conditions.
Numerous bus routes are also impacted, including the 12 Roosevelt bus, the 70 Division bus and the 126 Jackson bus, according to CTA officials.
Buses on the 53 Pulaski, 54 Cicero, 91 Austin and 94 California routes are also being rerouted.
The latest information can be found on the agency's social media feeds and websites.
Eisenhower Expressway closed at Des Plaines Avenue due to flooding
All inbound lanes of the Eisenhower Expressway are blocked near Des Plaines Avenue in suburban Forest Park because of roadway flooding, IDOT officials say.
According to an alert, all traffic on the inbound side of the highway is being diverted at Des Plaines Avenue because of the flooding, with IDOT workers on scene trying to clear the roadway.
Traffic is being allowed to reenter the highway at Harlem.
WATCH: Water shoots from manhole cover in West Loop
Parts of Chicago have seen several inches of rain on Sunday, and it's overwhelming the city's sewers, as you can see in a video sent in by viewer Hayden Jang.
Stevenson Expressway closed at Pulaski because of flooding
All lanes of the Stevenson Expressway are currently closed near Pulaski Avenue because of flooding, Illinois State Police say.
Outbound traffic is being diverted at Kedzie, while inbound traffic is being diverted onto Pulaski, according to police.
Pink, Blue Line trains halted due to flooding
Blue Line service has now been suspended between Pulaski and 54th Street, as well as between Harlem and Forest Park due to flooding, officials say.
Pink Line Service has also been suspended between Pulaski and 54th/Cermak.
NASCAR Chicago updates: Xfinity race 'in a holding pattern' due to rain
Weather issues caused the postponement of Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Loop 121 race, and sailing continues to be rough as weather is once again causing issues with the resumption of the race Sunday.
Gates for the event did not open on time Sunday morning because “of the threat of severe weather," and after an estimated start time of 10:45 a.m. was set, rain intensified, causing the race to once again be delayed.
According to officials, "standing water on the street course" is delaying the race, putting the start "into a holding pattern."
CTA Blue Line service suspended due to flooding
CTA Blue Line trains are not currently running between Pulaski and 54th due to flash flooding in the area, officials with the agency say.
NWS: ‘Consider avoiding non-essential travel’
The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for a wide swath of the Chicago area on Sunday morning, urging motorists to avoid non-essential travel at this time.
The warning includes an area of Cook County stretching from roughly Bellwood all the way to Lake Michigan, and contains most of the city of Chicago.
“Widespread street and underpass flooding” is expected, and major highways are experiencing flooding issues.
Officials are urging residents to “strongly consider avoiding non-essential travel until the rain eases” in the afternoon hours.
Heavy rain causing flooding on Chicago expressways
Flooding is being reported on numerous expressways on Sunday morning, including the Kennedy, Dan Ryan, Edens and Eisenhower.
Numerous cars have already become trapped in rising water, and traffic backups are being reported across the Chicago area.
We will keep this story updated with all the latest closures.
NASCAR race to restart at 10:45 a.m.
Earlier Sunday, the gates for the Xfinity Series race in Grant Park were kept closed as a safety precaution, but we now have a start time for the race.
The Loop 121, which made it through 24 laps on Saturday before lightning caused a halt to the race, will resume at approximately 10:45 a.m., according to NASCAR officials.
Cubs game vs. Guardians delayed because of rain
Because of the forecasted heavy rainfall in the Chicago area, the Cubs’ game vs. the Guardians at Wrigley Field was moved from 1:20 p.m. to 4:05 p.m.
The team says gates for the game will open approximately 90 minutes before Jameson Taillon delivers the first pitch.
