Remnants of Hurricane Ike tracked across southeast Illinois on 9/14, producing high winds of between 50 and 60mph. Considerable wind damage was reported, particularly across Lawrence County.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS ILX wrote it up.
Remnants of Hurricane Ike tracked across southeast Illinois on 9/14, producing high winds of between 50 and 60mph. Considerable wind damage was reported, particularly across Lawrence County.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Lincoln, IL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 14, 9:51 AM CST, 9 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 1051 AM CDT SUN SEP 14 2008 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 1045 AM CDT SUN SEP 14 2008 IKE REMNANTS MOVING THROUGH CENTRAL ILLINOIS THIS MORNING...WITH WHATS LEFT OF THE EYE IN ILX SE. WINDS HAVE COME AROUND TO MORE OUT OF THE NORTH THIS MORNING ON THE N/NW SIDE OF THE STORM...BEHIND THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY. COOLER TEMPERATURES MOVING IN BEHIND THE RAIN AS WELL. TEMPS IN FAR SE HAVE REACHED THE MAX FOR TODAY...AND HOW MUCH THE NW WILL BE REBOUNDING TEMP WISE IS A BIT DOUBTFUL. WILL BE ADJUSTING THE MAX TEMPS IN THE FORECAST...TO LOWER MAXES IN THE N...AND ADJUST THE HOURLY GRIDS TO A STEADY FALL IN THE SE. OTHER THAN THAT...IKE IN A BIT OF A HURRY THIS MORNING AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO START PULLING THE POPS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. MAY BE SENDING OUT AN UPDATE CLOSER TO NOON. HJS && .AVIATION... ISSUED 658 AM CDT SUN SEP 14 2008...FOR THE 12Z TAFS HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS ARE EXPECTED TODAY. VIS AND CIGS WILL GET DOWN TO VLIFR AT TIMES...ESPECIALLY THROUGH AROUND 19Z...WHEN THE LOW FROM THE REMNANTS OF IKE PASSES JUST SOUTHEAST OF OUR CWA. WILL TEMPO LOW CIGS AND VIS FOR 3 HR PERIODS UNTIL EARLY AFTERNOON. IKE APPEARS TO BE PICKING UP SPEED...SO I MAY BE A BIT TOO PESSIMISTIC WITH TIMING OUT THE LOW CIGS AND VIS...BUT THAT CAN BE FINE TUNED WITH LATER UPDATES. CLEARING IS EXPECTED OVERNIGHT...BUT I DID NOT INCLUDE THAT IN THE TAFS AT THIS POINT...WITH THE FOCUS MAINLY ON POOR WEATHER EARLY IN THE TAF. SHIMON && .PREV DISCUSSION... ISSUED 250 AM CDT SUN SEP 14 2008 HEAVY RAIN EXPECTED TO IMPACT MUCH OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS TODAY...AS REMNANTS OF HURRICANE IKE TRACK THROUGH THE REGION. 07Z SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWS CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM IKE LOCATED OVER NORTHWEST ARKANSAS...WHILE WEAK COLD FRONT EXTENDS FROM NORTHERN MICHIGAN SOUTHWESTWARD INTO EASTERN KANSAS. DEEP PLUME OF TROPICAL MOISTURE IS STREAMING NORTHWARD AHEAD OF IKE...EVIDENCED BY SURFACE DEWPOINTS IN THE UPPER 60S AND LOWER 70S AND 850MB DEWPOINTS IN THE 15 TO 20C RANGE. LARGE AREA OF RAIN CONTINUES TO FALL ALONG THE SLOW-MOVING COLD FRONT...MAINLY ALONG AND WEST OF I-55...WHILE HEAVIER RAIN IS NOTED ACROSS ARKANSAS AND MISSOURI IN ASSOCIATION WITH IKE. SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORM ARE EXPECTED TO ACCELERATE NORTHEASTWARD THIS MORNING AS THEY BEGIN TO INTERACT WITH A STRONG MID-LEVEL TROUGH SWINGING THROUGH THE NORTHERN PLAINS. 00Z 14 SEP MODELS ARE ALL IN EXCELLENT AGREEMENT CONCERNING THE TRACK AND TIMING OF THE SYSTEM...WITH CENTER OF CIRCULATION EXPECTED TO MOVE FROM JUST SOUTH OF ST. LOUIS AT 12Z TO NORTHWEST INDIANA BY 18Z. STEADIEST RAIN WILL FALL ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF THE SYSTEM...WITH AREAS ALONG AND NORTHWEST OF A SHELBYVILLE TO CHAMPAIGN LINE EXPERIENCING THE HIGHEST RAIN TOTALS. A GENERAL 2 TO 3 INCH RAINFALL CAN BE ANTICIPATED ACROSS THIS AREA...WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS ASSOCIATED WITH ANY MESOSCALE RAIN BANDS THAT DEVELOP. FURTHER SOUTHEAST...THE PRECIP WILL BE A BIT MORE SHOWERY IN NATURE ALONG AND EAST OF I-57. IN FACT...A FEW THUNDERSTORMS COULD RUMBLE ACROSS THIS PART OF THE KILX CWA. LATEST DAY 1 CONVECTIVE OUTLOOK FROM SPC KEEPS SLIGHT RISK AREA FURTHER EAST INTO THE WARM SECTOR ACROSS INDIANA...BUT DOES INCLUDE GENERAL THUNDER AS FAR WEST AS EAST-CENTRAL ILLINOIS. BASED ON EXPECTED SPEED OF SYSTEM...HEAVIEST RAINS WILL LIKELY COME TO AN END FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA BY AROUND MIDDAY...WITH PRECIP COMPLETELY COMING TO AN END BY LATE AFTERNOON. DESPITE PRECIP QUICKLY TAPERING OFF LATER TODAY...WILL CONTINUE THE CURRENT FLASH FLOOD PRODUCTS THROUGH 00Z IN ORDER TO AVOID UNNECESSARY CONFUSION. WILL ALSO BE A RATHER WINDY DAY...AS SYSTEM PASSES THROUGH THE AREA AND PRESSURE GRADIENT TIGHTENS ACCORDINGLY. THINK WINDS WILL BE STRONGEST ACROSS THE E/SE CWA...WHERE GUSTS IN THE 35 TO 40 MPH RANGE ARE LIKELY. AM CONSIDERING A WIND ADVISORY FOR THESE AREAS. ALL MODELS TRACK THE LOW INTO THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES BY 00Z...WITH BOTH NAM-WRF/GFS HINTING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF A FEW SHOWERS LINGERING INTO THE EVENING HOURS ACROSS THE NORTHERN CWA. BASED ON EXPECTED INTRUSION OF MUCH DRIER AIR ALOFT BEHIND DEPARTING SYSTEM...THINK THIS IS OVERDONE...SO HAVE PULLED ALL POPS AFTER 00Z. SHOULD STILL SEE A GOOD DEAL OF LINGERING LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE THROUGH THE NIGHT...RESULTING IN A CONTINUATION OF MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES UNTIL PERHAPS CLOSER TO DAWN. DESPITE MOIST LOW-LEVELS...THINK WINDS WILL REMAIN STRONG ENOUGH TO MITIGATE ANY THREAT FOR FOG. COOL AND DRY WEATHER WILL BE ON TAP FOR MONDAY AND TUESDAY...AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FROM THE WEST. AFTERNOON HIGHS ON MONDAY WILL MAINLY BE IN THE 60S...WARMING TO THE LOWER 70S BY TUESDAY. LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY QUIET WEATHER CAN BE EXPECTED IN THE EXTENDED...AS PERSISTENT SURFACE RIDGING PREVAILS ACROSS THE MIDWEST THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. TEMPS WILL INITIALLY BE ON THE COOL SIDE...BUT WILL GRADUALLY WARM...WITH HIGHS CLIMBING BACK TO AROUND 80 DEGREES BY THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. BARNES && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR ILZ027>031- 036>038-040>057-061>063-066>068-071>073. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 548 AM CDT SUN SEP 14 2008 ILZ027>031-036>038-040>045-047>054-061-151100- CASS-CHAMPAIGN-CHRISTIAN-DE WITT-FULTON-KNOX-LOGAN-MACON-MARSHALL- MASON-MCLEAN-MENARD-MORGAN-MOULTRIE-PEORIA-PIATT-SANGAMON- SCHUYLER-SCOTT-SHELBY-STARK-TAZEWELL-WOODFORD- 548 AM CDT SUN SEP 14 2008 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THE LOW PRESSURE CENTER FROM THE REMNANTS OF IKE WILL PASS FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS TODAY. WIDESPREAD RAINS WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE DAY...BEFORE DIMINISHING THIS EVENING. IN ADDITION TO THE RAIN...WINDS WILL INCREASE DRAMATICALLY TODAY...AS THE LOW PASSES NEARBY TO THE SOUTH. PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN ARE EXPECTED TODAY...WITH RAINFALL RATES UP TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR. TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS THIS WEEKEND MAY REACH UP TO 6 INCHES. HEAVY RAIN AND FLASH FLOODING WILL BE THE PRIMARY HAZARDS. NEVER DRIVE THROUGH A FLOODED ROADWAY. TURN AROUND AND FIND A BETTER ROUTE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ046-055>057-062-063-066>068-071>073-151100- CLARK-CLAY-COLES-CRAWFORD-CUMBERLAND-DOUGLAS-EDGAR-EFFINGHAM- JASPER-LAWRENCE-RICHLAND-VERMILION- 548 AM CDT SUN SEP 14 2008 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THE LOW PRESSURE CENTER FROM THE REMNANTS OF IKE WILL PASS FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS TODAY. WIDESPREAD RAINS WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE DAY...BEFORE DIMINISHING THIS EVENING. IN ADDITION TO THE RAIN...WINDS WILL INCREASE DRAMATICALLY TODAY...AS THE LOW PASSES NEARBY TO THE SOUTH. PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN ARE EXPECTED TODAY...WITH RAINFALL RATES UP TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR. TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS THIS WEEKEND MAY REACH UP TO 6 INCHES. HEAVY RAIN AND FLASH FLOODING WILL BE THE PRIMARY HAZARDS. NEVER DRIVE THROUGH A FLOODED ROADWAY. TURN AROUND AND FIND A BETTER ROUTE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. SHIMON
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
645 AM CDT SUN SEP 14 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0643 AM FLOOD 1 S ROANOKE 40.78N 89.20W
09/14/2008 WOODFORD IL EMERGENCY MNGR
COUNTY ROAD 13 BETWEEN IL ROUTE 116 AND COUNTY ROAD 4
CLOSED DUE TO HIGH WATER ON ROAD
&&
JRPPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
907 AM CDT SUN SEP 14 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0643 AM FLOOD 4 E ATHENS 39.96N 89.65W
09/14/2008 SANGAMON IL MESONET
8 INCHES OF WATER FLOWING ACROSS INTERSECTION OF ROUTES
29 AND 123.
&&
JRPPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
948 AM CDT SUN SEP 14 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0745 AM FLOOD DOWNS 40.40N 88.87W
09/14/2008 MCLEAN IL EMERGENCY MNGR
*** 1 INJ *** A HOUSE COLLAPSED DUE TO ITS CHIMNEY
FILLING WITH WATER AND TOPPLING OVER. A 20 Y/O MALE WAS
TRAPPED...EXTRICATED BY RESCUE PERSONNEL...THEN TAKEN TO
A LOCAL HOSPITAL.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
1003 AM CDT SUN SEP 14 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1001 AM FLOOD 2 NE CISCO 40.03N 88.70W
09/14/2008 PIATT IL MESONET
RURAL FLOODING
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Large tree branches were blown down in Mattoon, causing damage to a few structures.
A carport was damaged by high winds.
A large tree was blown down onto Blue Mound Road 1 mile southwest of Flora, blocking both lanes.
Large tree limbs were blown onto power lines in Jewett. Several acres of corn were flattened by high winds across Cumberland County.
Numerous trees were blown down across Lawrence County.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, September 2008
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 135009, 135011, 135010, 135013, 135014.