The powerful line of thunderstorms that swept across the suburbs August 11 has been preliminarily confirmed as a derecho, bringing wind gusts approaching 100 mph, scattered power outages and widespread damage across Kane County and surrounding communities.
The NOAA Storm Prediction Center said the storm complex, known as a mesoscale convective system, traveled from eastern Iowa into northern Indiana. The center preliminarily confirmed the system as a derecho.
The National Weather Service office in Romeoville reported wind gusts of 89 mph in Batavia and 97 mph near Aurora Municipal Airport in Sugar Grove as the storm moved through the region.
Tornado sirens sounded across the region, including in Geneva and Batavia, as the severe weather moved through. Operations at the Kane County Judicial Center in St. Charles were briefly suspended, with people taking shelter in the building's lower level. The same precautions were taken during the Kane County Board meeting, which recessed as board members, staff and the public sheltered on the first floor during the height of the storm.
People who signed up for Kane County's Public Safety Alert system were updated throughout the storm on the changing weather.
The powerful winds caused scattered power outages across southern Kane County. In Aurora, roads were partially or completely blocked at 84 locations at one point as crews responded to downed trees, wires and other storm-related hazards.
Two significant road closures were reported in Kane County by the Kane County Office of Emergency Management and Kane County Division of Transportation following the storms:
Downed wires were reported at both locations, but the roads were reopened within a short time.
Illinois Sets Tornado Record
Tuesday's severe weather comes as Illinois is experiencing an unusually active tornado season.
The National Weather Service reports that Illinois has already set a record for the number of tornadoes recorded in a single year and is now over 200. The pace is well above the state's historical average of 54 tornadoes annually from 1990 through 2020.
Federal data show Illinois recorded 121 tornadoes in 2023, 142 in 2024 and 126 in 2025. Before this recent stretch, the state had recorded more than 100 tornadoes in only four years. The last triple-digit year before that was 2006.
National Weather Service Storm Reports
The National Weather Service has posted an Interactive Map of Preliminary Storm Reports from This Week's Severe Weather and Flooding.
Help is Available for Kane County Residents After July 2-4 Storms
Help remains available for residents, businesses and eligible nonprofits affected by the destructive storms and flooding that moved through Kane County July 2–4.
Aurora Seeks Damage Reports from the Aug. 10 storm
The City of Aurora Emergency Management Agency is asking residents and business owners to report storm damage to private property through a self-reporting damage assessment survey.
The information will help emergency management officials identify the location and severity of damage and determine where additional in-person assessments may be needed.
Residents can complete the survey at Aurora's storm damage assessment survey.
The survey is intended for private property damage only. To report damage to public property, such as downed trees or flooded roads, residents should submit a service request through Aurora 311.
Montgomery Schedules Emergency Brush Pickup
Montgomery has scheduled emergency brush collection for Aug. 19 to help residents recover from the severe weather.
Residents can learn more about the collection at Emergency Brush Collection Information.
Kane County's Rustic Roads offer a glimpse of the county's rural heritage, winding through expansive woodlands, gently rolling farmland, Fox River tributaries, historic farmhouses and some of the area's most scenic landscapes.
Kane County has been a leader in preserving these treasured roadways through its Rustic Roads Program. The program was developed in response to two Strategic Objectives adopted by resolution by the Kane County Board in 1997 and was formally established in 2000. Its purpose is to protect the county's most scenic rural roads while recognizing that they remain working transportation corridors.
Designation as a Rustic Road does not "freeze" a roadway in time or prevent future improvements. Instead, each designation includes the development of a corridor management plan that identifies the road's most significant natural, scenic, agricultural and historic features, along with strategies to protect and enhance those qualities over time.
The designation process includes input from property owners along and adjacent to the proposed road corridor, the appropriate highway authority, elected officials and other governmental agencies, ensuring that preservation efforts reflect both community values and transportation needs.
Today, Kane County's designated Rustic Roads include:
These roads help preserve the landscapes that have defined Kane County for generations, offering residents and visitors an opportunity to experience the county's agricultural heritage and natural beauty while helping ensure those scenic views remain for future generations.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has approved a disaster declaration for the severe storms and flooding that impacted six counties in northeastern Illinois from July 2–4, 2026. The declaration allows homeowners, renters, businesses and certain nonprofit organizations to apply for low-interest disaster loans to help cover damage and losses not covered by insurance.
Kane County is among the counties included in the disaster declaration. Residents and businesses in contiguous counties — Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Kendall and McHenry — are also eligible for SBA disaster assistance.
Two Disaster Loan Outreach Centers (DLOCs) have been established in Kane County to assist residents and businesses. SBA customer service representatives will be available at each center to answer questions, explain the application process and help applicants complete their applications. Walk-ins are welcome.
Eligible residents and business owners may visit any DLOC, regardless of where they live.
Prisco Center – (Aug. 10–22)
150 W. Illinois Ave. Aurora, IL
Hours: Monday–Friday: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Sunday: Closed
Elgin Township Building – (Aug. 17–Sept. 1)
729 S. McLean Blvd. Elgin, IL
Hours: Monday–Friday: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Sunday: Closed
Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 in low-interest SBA disaster loans to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters may apply for up to $100,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.
Businesses and certain nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million for physical damages. Applicants may also qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help address financial losses resulting from the disaster.
For online applications, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call the SBA Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. People who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability may dial 7-1-1 for relay services.
The deadline to submit SBA disaster loan applications for physical property damage is Oct. 5, 2026. The deadline for economic injury applications is May 5, 2027
The Kane County Board has approved a balanced Fiscal Year 2027 budget totaling just under $403 million, continuing the County's efforts to strengthen its long-term financial position while maintaining essential services.
"Balancing this year's budget required thoughtful planning, collaboration and a willingness to make difficult decisions," said Kane County Board Chairman Corinne Pierog. "We focused on identifying efficiencies and reducing expenses where possible while protecting the services our residents depend on every day. Just as importantly, we preserved our fund balance, ensuring Kane County remains on solid financial footing for the future."
For the first time in six years, Kane County's General Fund budget is balanced without using reserves. Fiscal Year 2027 operations will be fully supported by anticipated revenues.
Also noteworthy, the budget process was completed months before the start of the fiscal year, which begins on Dec. 1, 2026.
"This budget gives our department heads and elected officials more time to plan and begin implementing budgets that are approximately 5% lower than 2026 levels," said Bill Lenert, Chairman of the Kane County Board Finance Committee. "Our goal is to achieve these savings through attrition whenever possible, avoiding layoffs while continuing to support day-to-day operations. This process reflects our commitment to both taxpayers and County employees."
Overall, the Fiscal Year 2027 budget is approximately $7 million lower than the amended Fiscal Year 2026 budget.
The County's budget is divided into two primary components:
To review the Fiscal Year 2027 budget and other Kane County financial documents, visit the Kane County Finance Department webpage.