On August 28, 1990, a devastating tornado struck Plainfield, Illinois, killing 29 people. As a result of the lack of adequate public warning due in part to the absence of a coordinated county structure for warning residents of impending severe weather, a group of agencies responded to correct this problem. The DuPage County Office of Emergency Management, The College of DuPage and the Chicago National Weather Service Forecast Office devised a multi-county severe weather warning network.

Since it's formation in the fall of 1990, the MCS has trained thousands of spotters in 15 counties, as well as some who have traveled from other countries, who have heard about it's training program. The DuPage County OEM also maintains a communications center, with live NEXRAD, satellite and other data for monitoring incoming severe weather, which is then relayed to the spotters via the Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

The goal of the Northern Illinois MCS is to provide the fastest possible communication between spotters, the National Weather Service, and other agencies in relaying critical weather information to protect the citizens living in our area.