Illinois is undergoing a rapid change in weather patterns that already has started to transform the state. A major scientific assessment by The Nature Conservancy, in collaboration with experts at the University of Illinois and Northwestern University, foretells long-term, serious effects on cities and rural communities alike from climate change that include periods of extreme heat, increased precipitation and more intense storms, particularly if immediate actions aren’t taken to lessen the threat. 

On May 17, 2021, assessment lead authors summarized the report findings in a public webinar. The full report is available at: https://databank.illinois.edu/datasets/IDB-1260194.

For more information, contact Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at [email protected].