Governor Pritzker today issued a state disaster proclamation following weeks of severe and record-breaking weather across Illinois resulting in widespread damage from torrential downpours, flash flooding, straight-line winds and several tornadoes – leading the nation with approximately 204 tornadoes verified by the National Weather Service (NWS) already this year.

The Governor’s state proclamation will make additional state resources and personnel available to support continued local response efforts and recovery operations. This comes days after the Governor visited Lansing, where damage assessments have been underway by local, county and state emergency management officials to determine what additional resources are needed to assist communities with long-term recovery.

The proclamation covers communities impacted by severe weather across the following counties:

• Alexander (July 9-11)
• Champaign (Aug. 9-11, Aug. 13-16)
• Cook (July 27, Aug. 9-11)
• DuPage (July 27, Aug. 9-11)
• Ford (Aug. 13-16)
• Fulton (Aug. 13-16)
• Kane (July 2-4)
• LaSalle (Aug. 9-11)
• Lake (July 27)
• McLean (Aug. 13-16)
• Marshall (May 16, June 10-11, June 19-June 29)
• Pulaski (July 9-11)
• Tazewell (Aug. 13-16)
• Vermilion (July 27, Aug. 13-16)
• Will (July 27, Aug. 9-11)

Since the storms, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security (IEMA-OHS) and other Illinois agencies have been on the ground supporting local and county officials with damage assessments, debris cleanup, power restoration and mutual aid assistance. The proclamation directs state agencies to assist local governments as communities continue recovering from the devastating tornadoes and severe storms that have exhausted local resources and caused widespread damage across Illinois. The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) will assist local governments with continued response and recovery efforts as appropriate, and all other State agencies are directed to collaborate with IEMA-OHS to identify and enable additional response and recovery capabilities if needed.

“The State of Illinois quickly mobilized resources for residents impacted by this latest round of severe weather, and today’s disaster proclamation will further unlock and accelerate additional state resources for continued assistance,” said Governor JB Pritzker. " I know these storms have impacted countless Illinois families and requires we band together to help them recover. As this relentless and unprecedented weather continues to wreak havoc across our region, I remain committed to ensuring those impacted get the resources and help they need.”

In coordination with state and local partners, IEMA-OHS is continuing to deploy resources and implement the State Emergency Operations Plan to support response and recovery efforts in the affected counties.

“Illinois has faced a history-making series of severe weather events this year, and IEMA-OHS has been on the ground since day one to support counties and municipalities with response efforts and damage assessments," said IEMA-OHS Director Theodore Berger. "This proclamation leverages additional support to the communities who need it most following recent severe weather events. We will continue working alongside our impacted communities every step of the way.”

The disaster proclamation makes additional state resources and personnel available to support response and recovery operations and can facilitate requests for state and federal disaster assistance. Governor Pritzker has also directed IEMA-OHS to continue coordinating with federal partners to evaluate available assistance and identify additional resources to help impacted communities recover and rebuild.

The disaster proclamation goes into effect immediately and can be viewed here: disaster-proclamation-july-and-august-2026-storms.pdf

Additional Resources Unlocked

• Funding for Impacted Communities: The proclamation unlocks the potential for small, rural communities to apply for funding through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Disaster Response program through the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). Disaster Response is a HUD funded program and units of local government are eligible for up to $250,000 to assist with unexpected costs after a Governor-declared disaster. This includes reimbursement for cleanup, debris removal and repairs to public infrastructure. Communities would have six months to apply for this funding after a disaster declaration is made.
• Personnel and Equipment: The proclamation can facilitate deployment of state personnel and equipment if needed or requested by locals.
• Procurement: The proclamation relieves traditional procurement constraints to expedite the securing of resources, such as commodities or specialized equipment, which may be needed to timely effect response.