The storm of July 24 was, to put it gently, unique. By 4:51 p.m. that day, the National Weather Service reported its measuring stations at O’Hare Airport had collected more than 3.6 inches of rainfall, an amount which represented nearly half of all rains in July.

The City of Chicago is now seeking help from the federal government, and is asking residents that sustained damage due to the storm to fill out damage assessment forms and return them via e-mail to flood2010@cityofchicago.org. The forms, which are available on the city’s Web site and at libraries, can also be left at local aldermanic offices.

Having the city named as a federal disaster area would make individual residents who live in disaster zones, as well as government agencies, eligible for various forms of assistance.