Residents in south Naperville woke up on Wednesday, Aug. 12, to streets blocked by fallen trees and limbs after straight-line winds tore through the city Tuesday morning, the second major storm system to slam DuPage County in two weeks.

The city had received more than 300 service requests by Tuesday afternoon, including 60 reports of trees completely blocking roads, city communications director Linda LaCloche told NCTV17. Damage reports came from across Naperville but hit the south side hardest.

"While requests are coming from throughout the city, they are slightly more concentrated in south Naperville," LaCloche said.

Power mostly restored, one pocket remains

Most customers who reported outages had power back by 2:24 p.m. Tuesday, LaCloche said. About 30 customers near Chicago Avenue and S. Sleight Street remained without service. Those outages are on Naperville's own municipal electric utility, separate from the regional ComEd system that reported about 230,000 customers without power across Cook, Lake, Kane, DuPage and Will counties Tuesday afternoon, according to the Daily Herald.

Will County was particularly hard hit, with 34% of ComEd customers still dark Tuesday afternoon.

Riverwalk lower walkways closed

The Naperville Riverwalk's lower walkways are inaccessible due to flooding, Naperville Park District communications manager Daniel Rehm told NCTV17 on Tuesday, Aug. 11. Fencing and signage at parks across the city sustained damage, though Springbrook Golf Course and Naperbrook Golf Course reported only minimal impacts.

The Park District is advising residents to stay away from park areas with flooding, downed trees or other visible storm damage.

Regional context

The National Weather Service recorded gusts of 97 mph at the Aurora Municipal Airport and 70 mph in DuPage County near Lemont. The Chicago Tribune reported a 99 mph gust in Gary, Indiana. NWS meteorologist Mike Bardou told the Tribune that 80-to-100 mph straight-line winds were the bigger story, not tornadoes.

Illinois has already set a record for tornadoes in 2026, approaching 200 compared to a historical average of 54 per year. NWS meteorologist Kevin Donofrio said there were "likely some tornadoes embedded" in Tuesday's line of winds, but damage surveys to confirm that were still pending, primarily in Will County and south Cook County.

How to report damage

The city posted a reminder on its official X account Tuesday: residents can report downed parkway trees or limbs by calling (630) 420-6060 or submitting a request online at the city's Public Works Request Center. Police and fire emergencies should go to 911.

The city has not announced a timeline for completing debris clearance in south Naperville or reopening the Riverwalk's lower walkways.