Naperville crews spent Thursday clearing storm damage after Wednesday afternoon thunderstorms tore through the area, closing Centennial Beach and damaging several parks as more severe weather loomed later in the day.
The Naperville Park District said Centennial Beach was shut because of tree damage, and maintenance teams were expected to keep working for several days to clear downed trees and debris. The district also said it was assessing the exterior of the elevator for damage that may have been caused by a downed limb. Centennial Beach was expected to reopen Friday.
Wednesday’s storms hit suddenly across the Chicago area, with tornado warnings issued in parts of Will, Grundy and Kendall counties and wind gusts reaching 68 mph in the Naperville area. City officials said the north and east sides of Naperville were hit hardest. More than 580 storm-related calls came in between 3 p.m. and 11 p.m., and crews worked through the night to deal with outages and blocked roads.
By midnight, all roadways blocked by storm damage had been cleared, but the cleanup was far from finished. City crews kept working Thursday on debris removal at intersections and other priority locations, while about 450 people were still without power at 9:20 a.m. with restoration estimated for 5 p.m. that day.
Several parks in the city’s downtown and north side were also damaged, though they remained open. Visitors were asked to avoid areas with fallen debris or downed trees, a reminder that the storm left more than just a temporary mess behind. The larger concern was what came next: the National Weather Service expected two more rounds of storms on Thursday, with the second window from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. carrying the stronger threat for Naperville, including possible tornadoes, wind gusts up to 80 mph, damaging hail and flash flooding.
City staff were on standby for any additional damage, and residents were urged to clear leaves and debris from storm drains before the expected downpour. For Naperville, Thursday was not just about recovery from the previous storm. It was about trying to finish the cleanup before the next round arrived.
