Severe thunderstorms tore through Downers Grove on Tuesday, Aug. 11, bringing localized flooding, downed power lines and tree limbs, and debris scattered across roadways for the second time in roughly two weeks.
Village crews are clearing roads and addressing safety hazards, the village said in a press release posted the same day. The storms triggered a tornado warning for DuPage County.
The village confirmed the response on its official X account, noting crews were dealing with flooding, downed trees and wires, and storm debris throughout the community.
What residents should do
The village outlined three categories for reporting storm damage:
- Downed power lines: Stay away and call 911 immediately. Do not call the village or ComEd for downed lines.
- Parkway tree damage and fallen limbs: Call Public Works at 630-434-5460 or submit a request through the village's online service portal at cvportal.downers.us.
- Power outages: Report to ComEd at 1-800-334-7661 or check the outage map at comed.com/outages.
The distinction matters. Downed wires are a life-safety emergency requiring 911, while tree and debris issues go through Public Works or the online portal.
Second storm in two weeks
The Aug. 11 storms mark the second severe weather event to hit Downers Grove since late July. The July 27-28 storms left more than 5,000 ComEd customers without power as of the morning of July 28 and required a multi-day Public Works cleanup of downed parkway trees and hanging branches, as we reported July 28.
The village did not release a power outage count for the Aug. 11 storm. It also did not provide a timeline for when all roadways would be reopened or debris removal completed.
The same online service portal at cvportal.downers.us that handled damage reports after the July storms is accepting requests for the Aug. 11 event. Residents with non-emergency storm damage can file reports there or call Public Works at 630-434-5460.
