Tropical Storm Lowell (2008)

Basin

Eastern Pacific

Dates

September 6, 2008 to September 11, 2008

Peak strength

Tropical Storm, 45 kt (52 mph)

Lowest pressure

998 mb (29.47 inHg)

Landfall

Yes

Accumulated cyclone energy

2.2

Tropical-storm-force wind reached

100 nmi (185 km, 115 mi) from the center at its widest

Eyewall radius at its peak

50 nmi (93 km, 58 mi)

Overall size

240 nmi (444 km, 276 mi) to the outermost closed isobar

Peak gust in the best track

60 kt (69 mph)

Fastest the center moved

10 kt (12 mph)

Identifier

EP132008

The sources count different things and are not added together.

Landfall points the US agencies flagged in the best track. The nearest town is named from the site’s gazetteer, not from the report.

NOAA’s Storm Events database, the record National Weather Service offices compile months after a storm, as compiled March 2026.

Deaths

2 (2 direct, 0 indirect)

Injuries

3

Property damage

$54 million

Crop damage

$135,000

Events recorded

81 in 12 reports from 8 states and marine areas

State by state

What was recorded

36 flash flood, 24 flood, 18 heavy rain, 3 tornado.

3 tornadoes recorded in the United States, strongest first.

From the Storm Events narratives, unedited.

A brief tornado struck near the intersection of roads E1010 and N2270, to the northwest of Clinton Regional Airport. One utility pole was damaged. One residence was damaged and lost half of its roof, and the roof on a mobile home was damaged. One chicken coop was destroyed and all the livestock inside killed. Monetary damages were unavailable.

Custer, Oklahoma · Tornado · Sep 12, 01:35 UTC

A brief tornado developed on the east side of Tonkawa. The most significant damage occurred to an open air carport that was destroyed and thrown 200 yards from the residence it was attached to. Other minor damage was reported to trees and a couple of roofs. Monetary damages were unavailable.

Kay, Oklahoma · Tornado · Sep 12, 08:05 UTC

The Garza County Sheriff's Office reported that persistent heavy rainfall resulted in rapidly flowing water over portions of U.S. Highway 84 between Post and Southland. Authorities conducted high water rescues when at least eight vehicles were swept off of the highway. No injuries were reported. In addition, a number of other roadways across Garza County were reportedly flooded.

Garza, Texas · Flash Flood · Sep 12, 15:25 UTC

Governors Highway in Matteson was closed early Saturday morning due to flooding. In Tinley Park, the intersection of 88th and 175th was flooded. A retention pond overflowed and sandbags were used to prevent flooding to nearby homes. Other roads in Tinley Park were reported to have 3 to 6 inches of water. Major flooding was reported in the Heather Hill Neighborhood in Flossmoor. Rainfall of 4.50 inches was reported in Tinley Park. The intersection of Sibley and Halsted in Harvey was flooded.

Cook, Illinois · Flash Flood · Sep 13, 06:40 UTC

Heavy rains caused flash flooding in Oakland Mills, IA, Mount Pleasant, IA, Mount Union, IA and New London, IA during the morning of September 13. Near Oakland Mills, a campground along the Skunk River had to be evacuated due to the rapidly rising river level. In Mount Pleasant, sewers were backed up, several streets were flooded, cars were stranded in flood waters, and several basements flooded. South of Mount Pleasant, Big Creek near Highway 218 and 295th St flooded out of its banks and several area ditches were full with flood waters. In the Mount Union area, several roads were under water. In New London, where 24-hour rainfall totals ranged between 5.5 and 8.5 inches, some basements were flooded. A trained spotter and member of the general public also contributed to this report.

Henry, Iowa · Flash Flood · Sep 13, 10:19 UTC

Flash flooding was reported across many areas of Dupage County. Street and yard flooding was reported near Wheaton. A retention pond overflowed on Bartlett Road in Bartlett. Major street and parking lot flooding was reported around Route 53 and North Avenue in Lombard. Route 53 was closed south of Butterfield Road and North of Morton Arboretum because the east branch of the Dupage River had overflowed its banks. A dam at the end of Lake Ellyn in Glen Ellyn overflowed and flooded numerous streets. Rainfall totals included 6.40 inches in Carol Stream, 5.69 inches two miles north of Wheaton.

Du Page, Illinois · Flash Flood · Sep 13, 11:00 UTC

Heavy rains caused flash flooding of parts of Scotland County during the morning and afternoon hours of September 13. The North Fabius River and Fabius River both rose rapidly flooding several miles of agricultural fields as well as some roads and highways. South of Kilwinning, flood waters covered a rural road. Near Memphis, waves of flood waters lapped onto Highway 136, flood waters 1 to 2 feet deep covered Highway MM, and flood waters inundated a lighting manufacturing plant. Monetary damage amounts to area crops are unknown.

Scotland, Missouri · Flash Flood · Sep 13, 11:55 UTC

Spotters and emergency management officials reported several road closures across the northern part of the county. The road closures included US 25 and 35. Rainfall amounts of eight to over 11 inches were recorded, with the highest amount in the Laporte area where 11.20 inches was noted. No injuries were reported. Exact damage figures were not available.

La Porte, Indiana · Flood · Sep 13, 12:10 UTC

Heavy rains caused flash flooding of a few parts of Des Moines County during the morning of September 13. In Burlington, a 60 foot tall tree fell over in Crapo Park due to the ground being so saturated with flood waters. Also, about 20 loose railroad ties were carried down the 700 block of Jefferson Street by flood waters about 2 feet deep forcing its closure for a time. A water rescue was performed on two motorists who drove a Jeep into flood waters near Flint Creek in Burlington and West Burlington. North of Mediapolis, portions of Highway 61 were under water.

Des Moines, Iowa · Flash Flood · Sep 13, 13:07 UTC

Law enforcement and emergency management officials reported several roads closed due to high water over them from rainfall amounts of 6 to locally as high as 11 inches, which was in the Grainger area. No injuries were reported. Exact damage figures were not available.

St. Joseph, Indiana · Flood · Sep 13, 13:42 UTC

The rainfall from the remnants of Lowell and Ike continued to drop heavy rainfall into the early morning hours of the 15th. When the rain finally stopped, total rainfall amounts of over 12 inches was reported in the Buchanan and Niles area. Numerous roads remained closed with some culverts and bridges suffering damage. The Pucker Street Dam in Niles suffered a partial breech on an earthen part of the dam. Roughly a eight foot section was washed away, forcing the evacuation of residents downstream of the dam. No injuries were reported. No exact figures are available for the damage to the area from the flooding.

Berrien, Michigan · Flood · Sep 13, 14:45 UTC

The rainfall from the remnants of Lowell and Ike continued to drop heavy rainfall into the early morning hours of the 15th. When the rain finally stopped, total rainfall amounts of eight to ten inches was reported across the southern part of the county, including the Three Rivers area. Numerous roads remained closed with some culverts and bridges suffering damage. No injuries were reported. No exact figures are available for the damage to the area from the flooding.

St. Joseph, Michigan · Flood · Sep 13, 14:45 UTC

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• Unnamed tropical depressionEastern Pacific · 2008Tropical Depression30 kt · 1005 mb
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• Hurricane GenevieveEastern Pacific · 2008Cat 165 kt · 987 mb
• Tropical Storm KikaEastern Pacific · 2008Tropical Storm35 kt · 1007 mb
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• Tropical Storm IselleEastern Pacific · 2008Tropical Storm45 kt · 999 mb
• Tropical Storm JulioEastern Pacific · 2008Tropical Storm45 kt · 998 mb
• Tropical Storm KarinaEastern Pacific · 2008Tropical Storm35 kt · 1000 mb
• Hurricane MarieEastern Pacific · 2008Cat 170 kt · 984 mb
• Hurricane NorbertEastern Pacific · 2008Cat 4115 kt · 945 mb
• Tropical Storm OdileEastern Pacific · 2008Tropical Storm50 kt · 997 mb
• Unnamed tropical depressionEastern Pacific · 2008Tropical Depression30 kt · 1008 mb
• Tropical Storm PoloEastern Pacific · 2008Tropical Storm40 kt · 1003 mb

A best track is the record a warning agency settles on after the storm, not what it said at the time: position, maximum sustained wind and central pressure every six hours, revised against every observation that came in later. Category is the Saffir-Simpson scale, which runs from Category 1 at 64 kt to Category 5 at 137 kt and reads wind only, so it says nothing about surge or rain. Accumulated cyclone energy adds up the square of the wind through the storm's life, so it counts strength and duration together.

Storm history from NOAA NCEI’s International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS), which merges the official best track of every warning agency. Live storms, cones, watches and warnings from the National Hurricane Center and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Archived radar from NOAA’s Level II archive.

• Tropical cyclone report, National Hurricane Center
• Every advisory and discussion NHC issued while it was live
• Wikipedia article: Tropical Storm Lowell