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Chicago and much of its suburban areas draw their water from Lake Michigan, however many of northern Illinois's water is pumped from underground wells. Some areas deal with a diminishing supply of water; around Joliet the water level has been lowered hundreds of feet because the early 20th century. Most of the state's lakes are man-made.

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Across the state, seasonal temperature variation also tends to be great, with normally cold, snowy winter seasons and hot summers; extremes are rather ameliorated around Lake Michigan. Mean winter season temperatures are about 22 F (6 C) in the north and 37 F (3 C) in the south; summertime equivalents, respectively, are 74 F (23 C) and 80 F (27 C).

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The growing season varies from 205 days in the south to 155 days in the northernmost counties. This Article Is More In-Depth and animal life Illinois vegetational areas are separated into the tallgrass grassy field of northern and main Illinois and the oak-hickory forest of the western and southern regions. Just tiny fragments of the initial tallgrass grassy field have been protected, and some little areas have been rebuilded; the largest brought back meadow in the state is Midewin National Tallgrass Grassy Field, near Joliet.

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The settlers, needing wood for fuel and construction material and the lumbering market, removed the majority of the trees, which left only 10 percent forest cover in Illinois. More than 6,200 square miles (16,000 square km) of forests remain, some 1,100 square miles (2,800 square km) of them in Shawnee National Forest.

Both Northern and Southern wildflowers grow in Illinois, as do a range of trees, such as white pines, tamaracks, walnuts, cypresses, and tupelos. Shawnee National Forest, southwest of Harrisburg, Illinois. Thanks to the Illinois Department of Business and Economic Opportunity, Bureau of Tourist Before 1800 abundant wildlife strolled the meadows and forests, but bison, bears, wolves, mountain lions (pumas), porcupines, and elk have vanished.

By the early 21st century the number of white-tailed deer in the state had actually reached into the numerous thousands. Coyotes and foxes can be found in forests and other natural areas and, progressively, around urban areas. Game birds such as quail and pheasant are not as numerous as in previous times, however waterfowl are plentiful during the spring and fall migrations.