Several rounds of gusty rainstorms that flooded Chicago-area streets and viaducts on Thursday night also set city rainfall records, while both Chicago and Rockford saw record warmth before some residents even had a chance to take down their Christmas trees, according to the National Weather Service.
[3:16 PM CST Friday, January 9]
Last night featured unusually heavy rainfall (for January standards), flooding, strong winds, and record warm temperatures. More information about last night's weather can be found on this web page: https://t.co/CTwIruzwmZ. #ILwx #INwx pic.twitter.com/UcD85HfaNk
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) January 9, 2026
On Friday, weather service meteorologists announced that the 1.92 inches of rain recorded at O’Hare International Airport, the official climate station for Chicago, surpassed the Jan. 8, 1935, rainfall record of 1.18 inches, making it the third-rainiest January day in history.
They added that the 60-degree temperature observed at O’Hare at midnight also tied the city’s daily high temperature for Jan. 9, originally set back in 1880. Before Thursday, the weather service stated the last time Chicago had observed a 60-degree temperature in January was on Jan. 29, 2013.
Meanwhile, Rockford’s 59-degree high on Thursday broke their Jan. 8 temperature record previously set at 55 in 1965, while Friday’s 58-degree high broke the previous high of 56.
While weather service officials called the large rainfall, high winds and warm temperatures unusual for January — a month where hearty residents are often preparing for deep cold and snowfall — data suggests the city observes a 60-degree day in January about once every four to six years, on average.
The torrential downpours on Thursday triggered both a flood advisory and flash flood warnings across the city and suburbs.
The city’s Department of Streets and Sanitation responded to 96 separate tree emergencies overnight, according to a department spokesperson. Streets and San, along with the transportation and water departments, responded to flooded viaducts, using street sweepers to clear them.
