Scattered thunderstorms developed in southeast Illinois during the afternoon of 9/3, to the northeast of the remnants of Hurricane Gustav. An adult, male was injured by a lightning strike while hunting near a wooded area in southeast Shelby County.
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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.
Scattered thunderstorms developed in southeast Illinois during the afternoon of 9/3, to the northeast of the remnants of Hurricane Gustav. An adult, male was injured by a lightning strike while hunting near a wooded area in southeast Shelby 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 3, 11:59 AM CST, 1 hour 28 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 1259 PM CDT WED SEP 3 2008 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 1035 AM CDT WED SEP 3 2008 UPDATING THE FORECAST TO INCREASE CHANCES OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TODAY WEST OF I-57 WITH THE HIGHEST CHANCES FROM I-55 WEST WITH LIKELY CHANCES. ABOUT A 20 DEGREE TEMPERATURE GRADIENT TODAY WITH HIGHS CONTRASTING FROM AROUND 70F FAR NW AT GALESBURG TO AROUND 90F FAR SE ALONG THE WABASH RIVER. 15Z/10 AM SURFACE MAP SHOWS STRONG 999 MB LOW PRESSURE NEAR THE OK/AR/TX BORDER WHICH IS THE REMNANTS OF HURRICANE GUSTAV. A NARROW SPIRAL BAND OF SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS FROM GUSTAV EXTENDED ACROSS SOUTHERN TAZEWELL INTO MASON AND SCHUYLER COUNTIES AND DRIFTING SLOWLY NORTH. OAKFORD RIVER GAGE MEASURED 1 INCH OF RAIN IN THE PAST HOUR. ANOTHER BAND OF HEAVY RAINS WEST FROM SCOTT COUNTY WEST INTO NE MO AND LIFTING NNW. A COLD FRONT EXTENDED FROM SE LOWER MI THROUGH NW INDIANA ACROSS CENTRAL IL FROM CHAMPAIGN TO ST LOUIS INTO SE MO. MUGGY DEWPOINTS IN THE LOWER 70S EAST OF I-55 WHILE DEWPOINTS DROP OFF INTO THE MID 50S NW OF GALESBURG NEAR THE IA BORDER. TEMPS RANGE FROM THE MID TO UPPER 60S NW OF THE IL RIVER TO THE LOWER 80S FROM DECATUR SE WHERE MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES WHILE MOSTLY CLOUDY TO OVERCAST LOW CLOUDS NW OF DECATUR. MODELS SHOWS LOW PRESSURE (REMNANTS OF GUSTAV) LIFTING NNE INTO NW AR BY MIDNIGHT WHILE FRONTAL BOUNDARY PUSHES SLOWLY SE ACROSS SE IL. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WEST OF I-55 WILL BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD THIS AFTERNOON WITH DAYTIME HEATING OF MOIST AIR MASS AND SPOKE OF SHORT WAVE ENERGY LIFTING NORTHWARD OVER IL AHEAD OF GUSTAV. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN OF 1 TO 2 INCHES POSSIBLE IN 1 TO 2 HOURS FROM SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS FROM I-55 WEST TODAY WITH ILX AND DVN 12Z SOUNDINGS SHOWING TROPICAL PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES AROUND 1.9 INCHES. SPC KEEPS SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS SW OF IL THROUGH TONIGHT OVER SOUTHERN MO CLOSER TO GUSTAV/S MAIN CIRCULATION OVER WESTERN AR. A 590 DM 500 MB SUBTROPICAL HIGH OVER THE CENTRAL APPALACHIANS AND RIDGING NORTHWARD ACROSS OH/IN WILL BE CLOSE ENOUGH TO EASTERN IL TO KEEP CONVECTION CHANCES LOWER TODAY. MORE SUNSHINE OVER EASTERN IL AS WELL WITH WARMER HIGHS IN THE UPPER 80S TO AROUND 90F EAST OF I-57. HUETTL && .AVIATION... ISSUED 1255 PM CDT WED SEP 3 2008 DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITIONS EXPECTED ACROSS THE CENTRAL IL TERMINALS AS THE REMNANTS OF HURRICANE GUSTAV OVER FAR SW AR MOVE NNE TOWARD THE MO/IL BORDER BY 18Z/THU. THIS TROPICAL WX SYSTEM TO PRODUCE SCATTERED CONVECTION THIS AFTERNOON AND SPREAD WIDESPREAD RAIN AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS INTO THE AREA TONIGHT/THU ALONG WITH LOWERING CEILINGS/VSBYS TO AT LEAST IFR. EARLY AFTERNOON SURFACE MAP SHOWS 999 MB LOW PRESSURE (REMNANTS OF GUSTAV) ALONG THE SOUTHERN OK/AR BORDER. A COLD FRONT EXTENDED FROM SE LOWER MI THROUGH NW INDIANA AND SE IL NEAR MATTOON INTO SE MO. SCATTERED CONVECTION OVER CENTRAL IL BARELY MISSING THE FIVE CENTRAL IL TERMINALS SO FAR TODAY AS THEY DRIFT SLOWLY NNW. EXPECT CONVECTION TO BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD THIS AFTERNOON ESPECIALLY FROM I-55 WEST AND ADDED VCSH WITH TEMPO GROUPS FOR SHOWERS THIS AFTERNOON. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE AS WELL ESPECIALLY NEAR DEC NEXT FEW HOURS. MVFR CEILINGS AND VSBYS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING...AND BECOME IFR AND POSSIBLY LIFR WITH HEAVIER SHOWERS OVERNIGHT AND THU AS LOW PRESSURE MOVES TO ALONG THE MO/IL BORDER BETWEEN QUINCY AND ST LOUIS BY 18Z/THU. NORTH WINDS AROUND 10 KTS THIS AFTERNOON BECOMES NE THIS EVENING AND ENE TO EAST OVERNIGHT/THU MORNING AS THE WINDS INCREASE TO AROUND 15 KTS WITH GUSTS AROUND 20 KTS AS STRONG LOW PRESSURE APPROACHES CENTRAL IL. HUETTL && .PREV DISCUSSION... ISSUED 255 AM CDT WED SEP 3 2008 COLD FRONT WAS LOCATED JUST EAST OF THE IL RIVER VALLEY AS OF 06Z AND STEADILY MOVING ESE AT 25 MPH. BEHIND THE FRONT..NORTHWEST WINDS OF 10-15 KTS WERE BRINGING MUCH COOLER AIR SOUTH. SOME POST- FRONTAL SHOWERS AND ISOLATED STORMS WERE DRIFTING NE. AHEAD OF THE FRONT...WARM AND MUGGY CONDITIONS PERSISTED WITH DEWPOINTS NEAR 70. 06Z SFC MAP PLACED GUSTAV NEAR THE ARKLATEX...WHILE A LARGE CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE BUILT INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. ALOFT...A VIGOROUS MID-LEVEL SHORTWAVE WAS MOVING INTO WESTERN ONTARIO WITH TROUGH EXTENDING SOUTH HELPING PUSH COLD FRONT THROUGH. RIDGE WAS BEGINNING TO WEAKEN IN THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY...AND WILL BE IMPORTANT STEERING FEATURE FOR GUSTAV REMNANTS ALONG WITH APPROACHING TROUGH FROM NW. MAIN FORECAST CONCERN IS HEAVY RAIN AXIS AS GUSTAV PUSHES NE ACROSS THE STATE ON THURSDAY. SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY COLD FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO MARCH SE ACROSS THE AREA EARLY THIS MORNING BRINGING MUCH COOLER AIR IN FROM THE NW. 90KT JET OVER THE UPPER LAKES WILL PULL MID AND HIGH LEVEL MOISTURE NORTH FROM GUSTAV...WHILE THE CIRCULATION SLOWLY ADVANCES N THROUGH ARK. NOT MUCH TO FOCUS PRECIP CHANCES ON DURING THE DAY...WITH MAIN UPPER SUPPORT WITH THE TROUGH WELL NORTHEAST...AND DEEP MOISTURE WITH GUSTAV WELL SOUTH. HOWEVER WILL KEEP LOW CHC POPS TO COVER ANY POST- FRONTAL ACTIVITY LIKE WHAT OCCURRED TUE IN IA. A BIGGER STORY MAY BE TEMPS...WITH STRONG CAA AND CLOUD COVER IN THE NW WHERE HIGHS COULD STRUGGLE TO REACH 70...WHILE MORE SUNSHINE AND LACK OF PENETRATING CAA IN THE SE COULD PUSH HIGHS NEAR 90 AGAIN. BY 00Z THU...ALL EYES WILL BE ON GUSTAV AS ITS DEEP MOISTURE POOL BEGINS TO MOVE NNE AS IT COMES UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE MID LEVEL TROUGH AND UPPER JET. MODELS HAVE COME INTO GOOD AGREEMENT AND SPED THE SYSTEM CONSIDERABLY WITH RAINS PUSHING IN FROM THE SW AROUND 03-06Z THU AND HEAVIEST/STEADIEST RAIN FROM THU MORNING INTO THE EARLY EVENING. DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE AND STRONG FORCING WILL PRODUCE PERIODS OF MODERATE TO OCCASIONALLY HEAVY RAIN...ESPECIALLY WEST OF I-57. PW/S RISE TO AN UNSEASONABLY HIGH 2.1 INCHES BY THU AFTERNOON. WITH THE DEEPLY SATURATED COLUMN ONLY EXPECT SOME EMBEDDED THUNDER. STILL SOME QUESTION ON THE EXACT PATH OF THE CIRCULATION WHICH WILL DETERMINE HEAVY RAIN AXIS. NAM/WRF WOULD FAVOR AREAS ALONG AND NW OF THE IL RIVER FOR HEAVIER TOTALS OF 2-4+ AMOUNTS...WHILE GFS IS SLIGHTLY FARTHER SE...MAINLY I-55 WEST. NEW 00Z ECMWF BASICALLY SPLITS THE DIFFERENCE. WITH THESE AMOUNTS EXPECTED IN ROUGHLY A 24 HOUR PERIOD...DO NOT ANTICIPATE MANY FLOODING ISSUES. DRYNESS OF PAST MONTH HAS PUSHED 6HR FFG VALUES TO 3.8-4.5 INCHES IN THE EXPECTED HEAVY RAIN AXIS. 24 HOUR TOTALS WILL LIKELY BE IN THIS RANGE...OR LESS. SOIL SHOULD BE ABLE TO SOAK UP MUCH OF THIS...AND LOW RIVER/STREAM LEVELS COULD HANDLE ANY RUNOFF. SO DO NOT SEE NEED FOR FLOOD WATCH...AND HWO WILL UPDATE THE HEAVY RAIN AXIS/AMOUNTS. GOOD AGREEMENT AMONG ALL MEDIUM RANGE MODELS THAT THE SYSTEM WILL BE ABSORBED INTO THE MID- LATITUDE WESTERLIES AND EXIT INTO THE GREAT LAKES THU NIGHT. HAVE BROUGHT AN END TO THE POPS BY FRIDAY MORNING. LONG TERM...FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NORTHERLY FLOW ON THE BACKSIDE OF GUSTAV WILL BRING A SEASONABLY COOL CHUNK OF AIR IN FOR THE END OF THE WEEK AND INTO THE WEEKEND. HIGH PRESSURE IS FORECAST TO BUILD INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS BY SATURDAY MORNING AND STRETCH EAST THROUGH THE MIDWEST FOR MUCH OF THE WEEKEND. THIS WOULD BRING A PERIOD OF NEAR TO SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL TEMPS AND DRY CONDITIONS. BROAD LONGWAVE TROUGHING IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. AN IMPULSE EMBEDDED IN THIS FLOW COULD BRING A SHORTWAVE AND SFC FRONT THROUGH LATE SUN OR EARLY MON FOR NEXT LOW CHC POPS. SCHAFFER && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 214 PM CDT WED SEP 3 2008 ILZ027>031-036>038-040>053-041100- CASS-CHAMPAIGN-CHRISTIAN-DE WITT-FULTON-KNOX-LOGAN-MACON-MARSHALL- MASON-MCLEAN-MENARD-MORGAN-PEORIA-PIATT-SANGAMON-SCHUYLER-SCOTT- STARK-TAZEWELL-VERMILION-WOODFORD- 214 PM CDT WED SEP 3 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A COLD FRONT WILL BE NEARLY STATIONARY OVER SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS INTO TONIGHT. THE CLOSE PROXIMITY OF THE STALLED FRONT...AS WELL AS THE APPROACH OF THE REMNANTS OF HURRICANE GUSTAV FROM SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS...WILL ALLOW SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS TO OCCUR THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO TONIGHT. SLOW NORTHWARD MOVING THUNDERSTORMS COULD DUMP 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN IN AN HOUR FROM I-55 WEST. HOWEVER...THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE BUT A FEW THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME STRONG WITH GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND PEA SIZE HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY WIDESPREAD RAIN WITH A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT AS THE REMNANTS OF GUSTAV LIFT NORTHEAST ACROSS ILLINOIS. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL AND LOCALIZED FLOODING...ESPECIALLY WEST OF THE I-57 CORRIDOR. HOWEVER...DUE TO THE RECENT DRY WEATHER...LOCAL SOILS...RIVERS AND STREAMS WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE SEVERAL INCHES OF RAINFALL BEFORE FLOODING BECOMES A SIGNIFICANT CONCERN. MONITOR LATER FORECASTS FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON THE HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING THREAT. IN ADDITION TO THE HEAVY RAIN THREAT THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...THE WIND SHEAR ASSOCIATED WITH THE HURRICANE REMNANTS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE A FEW SEVERE STORMS. THE BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE STORMS WILL BE EAST OF THE SURFACE LOW TRACK...NAMELY EAST OF I-55. DAMAGING WIND GUSTS OR AN ISOLATED TORNADO ARE THE PRIMARY THREATS WITH ANY SEVERE STORMS. A WEATHER DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION FROM SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY EVENING...BRINGING THE REGION ITS NEXT BEST CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ054>057-061>063-066>068-071>073-041100- CLARK-CLAY-COLES-CRAWFORD-CUMBERLAND-DOUGLAS-EDGAR-EFFINGHAM- JASPER-LAWRENCE-MOULTRIE-RICHLAND-SHELBY- 214 PM CDT WED SEP 3 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS...EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A COLD FRONT WILL BE NEARLY STATIONARY OVER SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS INTO TONIGHT. THE CLOSE PROXIMITY OF THE STALLED FRONT...AS WELL AS THE APPROACH OF THE REMNANTS OF HURRICANE GUSTAV FROM SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS ...WILL ALLOW FOR SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO TONIGHT. SLOW NORTHWARD MOVING THUNDERSTORMS COULD DUMP 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN IN AN HOUR. HOWEVER...THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE...BUT A FEW THUNDERSTORM COULD BE STRONG WITH GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND PEA SIZE HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY WIDESPREAD RAIN AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT AS THE REMNANTS OF GUSTAV LIFT NORTHEAST ACROSS ILLINOIS. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL AND LOCALIZED FLOODING...ESPECIALLY WEST OF THE I-57 CORRIDOR. HOWEVER...DUE TO THE RECENT DRY WEATHER...LOCAL SOILS...RIVERS AND STREAMS WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE SEVERAL INCHES OF RAINFALL BEFORE FLOODING BECOMES A SIGNIFICANT CONCERN. MONITOR LATER FORECASTS FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON THE HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING THREAT. IN ADDITION TO THE HEAVY RAIN THREAT THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...THE WIND SHEAR ASSOCIATED WITH THE HURRICANE REMNANTS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE A FEW SEVERE STORMS. THE BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE STORMS WILL BE EAST OF THE SURFACE LOW TRACK...NAMELY EAST OF I-55. DAMAGING WIND GUSTS OR AN ISOLATED TORNADO ARE THE PRIMARY THREATS WITH ANY SEVERE STORMS. A WEATHER DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT...BRINGING THE REGION ITS NEXT BEST CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. HUETTL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 220 PM CDT WED SEP 3 2008 ILZ044>046-052>057-061>063-066>068-071>073-032130- PIATT-CHAMPAIGN-VERMILION-CHRISTIAN-MACON-MOULTRIE-DOUGLAS-COLES- EDGAR-SHELBY-CUMBERLAND-CLARK-EFFINGHAM-JASPER-CRAWFORD-CLAY- RICHLAND-LAWRENCE- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CHAMPAIGN...URBANA...DANVILLE... TAYLORVILLE...DECATUR...CHARLESTON...MATTOON...SHELBYVILLE... EFFINGHAM...FLORA...LAWRENCEVILLE 220 PM CDT WED SEP 3 2008 ...FUNNEL CLOUD SIGHTED OVER CHAMPAIGN COUNTY NEAR SAVOY... A FUNNEL CLOUD WAS SITED ABOUT HALF WAY TO THE GROUND NEAR SAVOY AROUND 2 PM. AT 2 PM DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED CLUSTERS OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM CHAMPAIGN SOUTHWEST TO SHELBYVILLE AND FROM EFFINGHAM SOUTHEAST TO ROBINSON DRIFTING SLOWLY NORTHWARD. ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS EXIST THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS EASTERN ILLINOIS FROM CHAMPAIGN TO DECATUR TO TAYLORVILLE EAST TO THE INDIANA BORDER THAT FAVOR THE POSSIBLE FORMATION OF WEAK CIRCULATIONS ON A FRONTAL BOUNDARY. SOME OF THESE CIRCULATIONS ARE OCCURRING UNDERNEATH DEVELOPING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...WHERE A FUNNEL CLOUD MAY DEVELOP. ONCE THE HEAVY RAIN BEGINS...THE FUNNEL CLOUD DISSIPATES. THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINS OF 1 TO 2 INCH IN LESS THAN AN HOUR...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS OF 35 TO 40 MPH AND POSSIBLE PEA SIZE HAIL. LOW HANGING CLOUDS CAN ALSO APPEAR TO DIP UP AND DOWN AT TIMES...BUT THEY WILL NOT SHOW SIGNS OF ANY RAPID ROTATION. AN ACTUAL FUNNEL CLOUD WILL EXHIBIT SPINNING IN A COUNTER-CLOCKWISE DIRECTION. IN RARE INSTANCES THESE FUNNELS MAY BRIEFLY TOUCHDOWN IN A SMALL AREA AND CAUSE SOME DAMAGE. STAY ALERT AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A SAFE SHELTER IF A FUNNEL CLOUD APPROACHES THE GROUND. HUETTL
The Lincoln radar (KILX), 110 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:26 UTC.
1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
An adult male, age unknown, was struck by lightning while hunting at Hidden Springs State Forest. He was transported to a local hospital and treated for his injuries.
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: 129304.