So Far, No Flooding Issues During the Big Melt

It's begun -- the Great Melt following the Snowpocalypse/SmOMG/Blizzard of 2011.

This week's (relatively) warm temperatures have melted about 60 percent of the snow, according to Tom Skilling on Monday night's 9 p.m. WGN newscast. With Woodridge's average of 19 inches of snow, that would mean that 11.4 inches have melted so far.

There has been some minor ponding and drainage issues, but there haven't been any major flooding issues in Woodridge, according to Jack Knight, management analyst of the Village of Woodridge.

In preparation of the melt, Public Works employees cleared snow from the village's catch basins, the slits and drains found on the street to transport water down the storm drain. (If you don't know what I mean, this diagram is really helpful.)

A Public Works employee told Knight that the way the snow is melting is ideal to removing the water without overtaxing the village's storm system. Warmer temperatures during the day is causing a gradual melt, while cooler temperatures at night slow melting. There has also been no further precipitation to further tax the system.