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Thunderstorms with pea-sized hail in Central Alabama Friday

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7 months ago

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Thunderstorms with pea-sized hail in Central Alabama Friday


A report was issued from the National Weather Service on Friday at 2:44 a.m. for strong thunderstorms until 3:30 a.m. for Lowndes, Montgomery, Macon, Bullock and Pike counties.

Wind gusts of up to 50 mph and pea-sized hail (0.25 inches) are expected.

“At 2:44 a.m., Doppler radar tracked strong thunderstorms along a line extending from Montgomery to 9 miles northwest of Rutledge. Movement was east at 60 mph,” states the weather service. “Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is possible.”

Locations impacted by the alert include Southern Montgomery, Tuskegee, Union Springs, Meadville, Pike Road, Shorter, Hyundai Motors Of Alabama, Dublin, Woodcrest, Beans Crossroads, Snowdoun, Shopton, Sellers, Ramer, Waugh, Liverpool, Hardaway, Ansley, Pine Level and Aberfoil.

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According to the weather service, “If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 5 a.m. for south central and southeastern Alabama.”

When lightning looms: Expert safety tips for thunderstorms

Lightning strikes the United States approximately 25 million times each year, with the bulk of these electrical discharges occurring during the summer months. Tragically, lightning claims the lives of about 20 individuals annually, as reported by the weather service. The risk of lightning-related incidents escalates as thunderstorms draw near, reaching its peak when the storm directly looms overhead. However, it gradually recedes as the tempest moves away.

To ensure your safety during a thunderstorm, consider the following recommendations:

1. Lightning safety plan:

  • When venturing outdoors, it’s vital to establish a clear plan for seeking shelter in case of lightning.
  • Stay vigilant by monitoring the sky for ominous signs and listening for the telltale sound of thunder. If thunder is audible, it’s a clear indication of nearby lightning.
  • Seek shelter promptly in a safe location, preferably indoors.

2. Indoors safety measures:

  • Once you’re indoors, avoid using corded phones, electrical devices, plumbing fixtures, and stay away from windows and doors.
  • Lightning can follow conductive pathways, and these precautions reduce the risk of electrical surges.

3. Wait for the all-clear:

  • After the last lightning strike or thunderclap, wait at least 30 minutes before resuming outdoor activities.
  • It’s important to remember that lightning can strike even when a storm seems to have passed, so exercise caution.

When indoor shelter isn’t available:

If you find yourself outdoors without access to indoor shelter during a thunderstorm, take these steps to maximize your safety:

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  • Avoid open fields, hilltops, or ridge crests, as they expose you to greater lightning risk.
  • Steer clear of tall, isolated trees and other prominent objects. In forested areas, stay close to lower stands of trees.
  • If you’re in a group, ensure that individuals are spaced out to prevent lightning current from transferring between people.
  • Camping in an open setting during a thunderstorm is strongly discouraged. If no alternative exists, set up camp in a valley, ravine, or other low-lying areas. Remember that a tent offers no protection against lightning.
  • Do not approach water bodies, wet objects, or metal items. Although water and metal do not attract lightning, they conduct electricity effectively and can pose significant risks.

In summary, when facing the threat of lightning, preparedness and vigilance are your best allies. By following these guidelines, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of lightning-related incidents and prioritize your safety.

Rainy roadways ahead: Essential safety tips for heavy rain

Rain can turn roads into hazards. Stay informed and follow these tips from the weather service to ensure safety during heavy rainfall:

Beware of swollen waterways:

  • In heavy rain, refrain from parking or walking near culverts or drainage ditches, where swift-moving water can pose a grave danger.

Maintain safe driving distances:

  • Use the two-second rule to maintain a safe distance from the car in front of you and allow an extra two seconds in heavy rain.

Slow down and drive with care:

  • On wet roads, reducing your speed is crucial. Ease off the gas pedal gradually and avoid abrupt braking to prevent skidding.

Choose your lane wisely:

  • Stay toward the middle lanes – water tends to pool in the outside lanes.

Prioritize visibility

  • Enhance your visibility in heavy rain by turning on your headlights. Watch out for vehicles in blind spots, as rain-smeared windows can obscure them.

Watch out for slippery roads:

  • The first half-hour of rain is when roads are slickest due to a mix of rain, grime, and oil. Exercise heightened caution during this period.

Keep a safe distance from large vehicles:

  • Large trucks and buses can reduce your visibility with tire spray. Avoid tailgating and pass them swiftly and safely.

Mind your windshield wipers:

  • Heavy rain can overload the wiper blades. When visibility is so limited that the edges of the road or other vehicles cannot be seen at a safe distance, it is time to pull over and wait for the rain to ease up. It is best to stop at rest areas or other protected areas.
  • If the roadside is your only option, pull off as far as possible, preferably past the end of a guard rail, and wait until the storm passes. Keep your headlights on and turn on emergency flashers to alert other drivers of your position.

By following these safety measures, you can significantly reduce risks and ensure your well-being when heavy rain pours down. Stay informed about weather conditions and heed advice from local authorities to make your journey safe and sound.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.



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Alabama

Former Alabama golfer Nick Dunlap collects prestigious PGA Tour honor

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1 hour ago

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December 19, 2024

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Former Alabama golfer Nick Dunlap collects prestigious PGA Tour honor


There are hot starts to a PGA Tour career, then there’s what former Alabama golfer Nick Dunlap did this season en route to being named the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year.

Dunlap, who turned pro after winning The American Express in January, won the prestigious honor in golf on Thursday.

“On behalf of the PGA Tour, congratulations to Nick Dunlap on being named PGA Tour Rookie of the Year,” said PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan. “Nick carved out his place in the PGA Tour record book. To begin 2024 as a collegiate golfer and end it with two PGA Tour victories and among the top-50 players in the FedExCup is truly impressive.”

Not only did Nick Dunlap win twice on tour, he did so in historic fashion. He became the first player in PGA Tour history to win as both an amateur and a professional in the same season.

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At 20 years old, he also became the youngest player to be named the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year since Jordan Spieth earned the honor back in 2013.

Nick Dunlap won the award thanks to a member vote, with PGA Tour members who played at least 15 events during the 2024 campaign eligible to vote.

Dunlap received 57 percent of the vote, according to the PGA Tour.

Of course, Nick Dunlap’s year began as an amateur college golfer at Alabama. But he played in and won The American Express, then shortly after announced his move to turn pro.

He would later go on to win the Barracuda Championship in July.

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Because he played so well, Nick Dunlap finished in the top 50 in the FedEx Cup standings, qualifying him for the PGA Tour’s signature events in 2025.

Dunlap ended his amateur career as the No. 1 player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. He won the 2021 U.S. Junior Amateur and the 2023 U.S. Amateur, joining Tiger Woods as the only players to win each title.



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Alabama

‘We played awful’: Alabama basketball reacts to close win over North Dakota

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9 hours ago

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December 19, 2024

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‘We played awful’: Alabama basketball reacts to close win over North Dakota


Don’t worry. Alabama men’s basketball knows it didn’t play well.

Alabama forward Grant Nelson, in his return to his home state, didn’t mince words talking about the Crimson Tide’s 97-90 victory over North Dakota in Grand Forks, North Dakota on Wednesday that came down to the final minute.

“We played awful, pretty much the whole game,” said Nelson, a former North Dakota State player. “We came in, we didn’t take these guys seriously. I was telling them, this is a big game on their home court. We’ve got to take these guys serious. They’re playing for a lot.”

It showed. The Fighting Hawks (4-9) battled from start to finish, holding a lead at halftime and even tying the game with two minutes left. Alabama’s 13 first-half turnovers proved problematic early. Then the Crimson Tide (9-2) fixed its turnover problem but stopped playing good defense.

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“We got yelled at like we should have,” said Nelson, a Devils Lake, North Dakota native. “I’m sure we’ll continue to get yelled at the rest of this week. But like I said, they played really great. It’s a great team and I think they’ll win a lot of games.”

Alabama coach Nate Oats was particularly frustrated by his defense. North Dakota scored 52 points in the second half, averaging 1.486 points per possession.

“I give North Dakota credit; they wanted this game,” Oats said. “They were ready for it. Great environment. Crowd was great. And our guys didn’t really come out ready to play. Our matchup on (Treysen) Eaglestaff wasn’t great to start. I don’t know that we really ever found the matchup.”

Eaglestaff scored 40 points, making him the first mid-major player to do so against a team ranked in the top 10 of the AP poll since 2012, per ESPN. The Bismarck, North Dakota native kept the Fighting Hawks in it until the end as he hit 15 of 30 and 8 of 18 from deep. Nelson, meanwhile, scored 23 points to go with 10 rebounds.

“Can’t sleep on those North Dakota boys,” Nelson said. “They can really hoop. I’ve known him for a while. I played him when he was here and I was at North Dakota State. I knew he was a great player. Our scouting report was pretty much around him.”

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Which made it all the more frustrating that Eaglestaff did what he did.

“I feel like we let ourselves down,” Nelson said. “We’ve got a lot to learn. We’re going to watch video and see what we can do better.”

Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer for AL.com and the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X and Instagram.





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Alabama transfer Damon Payne confuses reporters with voided commitment to Michigan

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17 hours ago

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December 18, 2024

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Alabama transfer Damon Payne confuses reporters with voided commitment to Michigan


In the current landscape of college football where players are moving teams more than ever in the transfer portal, reporting on college recruiting has become an incredibly difficult job. But on Wednesday, Alabama transfer Damon Payne and his agency made things even more difficult with his commitment to Michigan, which was voided in the span of only a few hours.

Payne, who is a former five-star defensive lineman in the midst of his junior year at Alabama, saw the field rather sparingly this season, recording just 14 total tackles in the eight games he saw action.

On Tuesday, Payne announced his intention to enter the transfer portal. And it didn’t take him long to seemingly narrow down his ideal landing spot, sending in his papers to commit to Michigan on Wednesday morning according to Pete Nakos of On3 Sports.

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However, just three hours later, Nakos offered an update detailing how the documents that Damon Payne had signed had been nullified by his agent.

This obviously raises a question as to whether there was an inaccuracy in Nakos’ reporting on the matter, or if there was some loophole found by Payne’s agent that made his signed documents to Michigan non-binding.

Well, Isaiah Hole, who covers Michigan for the USA Today Sports Network via Wolverines Wire, backed the reporting from On3 Sports, detailing in a series of posts on X how Payne had signed but his commitment was voided by his agency.

“This had nothing to do with On3’s reporting,” wrote Hole. “To clarify: Payne signed, it has been voided. On3 reported correctly.”

Payne’s agent, Steven Fantetti, did offer a vague clarification on the matter in a statement to On3 Sports, detailing just that Payne has not yet signed with any school and will release his commitment “under his own terms soon”.

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“Damon Payne is not currently signed with any school, and he will be releasing his commitment under his own terms very soon,” Fantetti said in his statement.

As for where Payne could be headed once he does commit to a school for real, Michigan reportedly remains on his list of teams he is still considering, along with Notre Dame, Oregon, and even a potential return to Alabama.

[On3 Sports, Pete Nakos on X]





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