The lawns of Grant Park and the median strips along Lake Shore Drive are a visible reminder that Chicago is in the grip of a dry stretch that forecasters say shows no immediate end. The U.S. Drought Monitor and the National Weather Service in Chicago report expanding areas of abnormally dry conditions across Cook County and its suburbs, leaving trees stressed, streamflows depressed and small reservoirs and retention basins running below seasonal norms.

City water managers say the municipal supply remains secure for now, but they are closely monitoring demand as outdoor watering and commercial needs rise. “We are watching water supplies closely and encouraging conservation where necessary,” a city official said, declining to be named while discussions with state and federal partners continue. The official added that public works crews have been conducting targeted irrigation of large park trees to avoid irreversible canopy loss that would exacerbate summer heat in coming years.

Beyond the immediate environmental effects, the dry spell is sharpening fiscal and political pressures. City Council members are due to vote this week on a settlement tied to a lawsuit involving former police Sgt. Ronald Watts, a decision that aldermen acknowledge could draw from reserves often tapped during emergencies. “Any unexpected draw on the city’s budget makes planning for climate-driven contingencies more difficult,” said a policy analyst who follows municipal finance. The council action comes as faith leaders across neighborhoods have also mobilized, publicly opposing proposals to bring National Guard units into the city for public order roles — a debate revived this month amid concerns about policing, protests and civic unrest.

Those community leaders warn that militarized responses risk deepening mistrust at a time when climate stressors, such as prolonged dry periods, could intensify disputes over scarce resources and public spaces. “People are already on edge,” said a pastor who has participated in recent clergy briefings. “How the city balances security, humanitarian outreach and environmental stewardship matters.”

The local story fits a national pattern. Midwest agricultural monitors have flagged the potential for reduced yields in some counties if dry conditions persist into the planting season, a development that could ripple into commodity markets and international grain shipments. Global traders watch the U.S. Midwest closely; localized shortfalls can influence prices in importing countries and prompt diplomatic conversations about food security.

Complicating the picture are competing federal priorities. In Washington, debates over education funding and personnel moves have drawn headlines, and some city officials worry that shifting national attention will limit Washington’s bandwidth for disaster or resilience funding. For Chicago, the dry stretch is more than a meteorological headline: it is an intersecting challenge of infrastructure, public health, social stability and municipal finance.

City officials say they will continue to coordinate with state and federal agencies and urban planners to deploy resources where they are most needed. In the neighborhoods, residents who have watched young maples brown and community gardens suffer are left with a pragmatic plea: shorter lawns, earlier watering and a longer-term plan to make a big city more resilient to a climate that is changing in ways both subtle and stark.