Tuesday’s thunderstorm evoked a downpour of mixed reactions from NIU students.

Although rain was in Tuesday’s forecast, only about half an inch was expected, according to Dan Koch, a forecaster for the National Weather Service in Rockford.

Instead, NIU students were caught by surprise when 1.28 inches of rain fell in just a little over an hour, Koch said.

Koch said the amount of rainfall is “not considered extraordinary for this time of year, but for being in that short a duration, it was a pretty heavy rainfall.”

The storm started at 12:15 p.m. and ended at approximately 1:40 p.m., Koch said.

“The heaviest rainfall was at about 12:30 p.m.,” Koch said.

There was no flooding or serious damage from the storm, Koch said.

Unfortunately for students, the worst part of the storm occurred between classes and many students were caught without umbrellas.

Village Commons Bookstore sold “at least two dozen” umbrellas during the storm, said Doris Seats, manager of soft goods.

Senior Gregg Falk wasn’t prepared for the rain and was caught in the middle of the storm.

“I skipped a class because I was so wet,” Falk said.

Freshman Eric Meinkow was irritated because “the buses weren’t around.”

Sophomore Diane Partyka said the rain was “unexpected” but that she is “happy that it’s not as hot and humid.”

Koch said he is not expecting any thunderstorms in the next couple of days and that the remainder of the week should be mostly sunny and pleasant with temperatures in the upper 70s.