The storm, with a central pressure of 990 mb (29.22″) was centered of Kansas and creeping eastward. The system is a giant atmospheric wind machine—and will be here in Chicago too.  Gusts topping 50 mph are occurring beneath its southern flank from New Mexico into the Texas Panhandle. 

The system has sprung up on the nose of a powerful 150 mph jet stream wind max  which widely varied temps across the powerful system have developed. Those upper winds roaring across the Four Corners area of the Southwest at jet airplane cruising altitudes and encourage the large scale ascension of air which drops surface pressures and encourage the powerful winds I’ve mentioned—which, in turn, import copious amount of Gulf moisture into the system.

Overnight and Thursday morning rains drenched the southern half as well as western sections of the Greater Chicago area with totals topping 2″ at Coal City, Ottawa, Marseilles, Morris and Sublette to name a few—and heavy 1.50″ rains have already occurred through Chicago south suburbs. east into sections of northwest Indiana.