Oregon
Prepare for marble-sized hail with thunderstorms in Oregon’s Coast Range Saturday
A weather alert was issued by the National Weather Service at 9 a.m. Saturday for strong thunderstorms until 9:30 a.m. for Central Oregon Coast Range Lowlands, Central Oregon Coast Range and Benton County Lowlands.
Expect marble-sized hail (0.5 inches) and wind gusts of up to 40 mph.
“At 8:57 a.m., Doppler radar tracked a strong thunderstorm near Alsea, or 12 miles southwest of Corvallis, moving north at 35 mph,” says 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 Wren, Blodgett, Kings Valley, Summit, Burnt Woods and Hoskins. In Oregon this includes U.S. Highway 20 west of Corvallis between mile markers 30 and 49.
The weather service states, “If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.”
Lightning on the horizon: Expert safety measures 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:
Lightning safety plan:
- When venturing outdoors, it’s crucial to have a lightning safety plan in place.
- Monitor the sky for threatening signs and listen for the sound of thunder. If thunder is audible, it’s an indication that lightning is nearby.
- Seek shelter promptly in a safe location, preferably indoors.
Indoors safety measures:
- Once you’re indoors, avoid using corded phones, electrical devices, plumbing fixtures, and stay away from windows and doors.
- These precautions help reduce the risk of electrical surges, as lightning can follow conductive pathways.
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 with no access to indoor shelter during a thunderstorm, take these steps to maximize your safety:
- Avoid open fields, hilltops, or ridge crests, which expose you to greater lightning risk.
- Steer clear of tall, isolated trees and other prominent objects. In wooded 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.
Navigating rainy roads: Safety tips for wet weather
When heavy rain pours, the risk of flooding and treacherous roads rises. Here’s your guide from the weather service to staying safe during downpours:
Beware of rapid water flow:
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:
Adhere to the two-second rule for maintaining a safe following distance behind the vehicle in front of you. In heavy rain, allow an additional two seconds of distance to compensate for reduced traction and braking effectiveness.
Slow down and drive with care:
On wet roads, slowing down is paramount. Gradually ease off the accelerator 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:
Be extra careful during the first half hour after rain begins. Grime and oil on the road surface mix with water to make the road slippery.
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:
Overloaded wiper blades can hinder visibility. If rain severely impairs your vision, pull over and wait for conditions to improve. Seek refuge at rest areas or sheltered spots.
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.
The Big Ten Conference has expanded to 18 teams with the additions of the Oregon Ducks, UCLA Bruins, USC Trojans, and Washington Huskies. That means even tougher matchups within the league, but those are only nine games out of the 12 in the regular season.
Below, we rank the toughest nonconference slates for all 18 Big Ten teams.
Aug. 31 vs. FIU
Sep. 6 vs. Western Illinois
Sep. 21 vs. Charlotte
Aug. 31 vs. Akron
Sep. 7 vs. Western Michigan
Sep. 21 vs Marshall
Aug. 31 vs. Miami (OH)
Sep. 6 vs. Duke
Sep. 14 vs. Eastern Illinois
Aug. 31 vs. Weber State
Sep. 7 vs. Eastern Michigan
Sep. 14 vs. Washington State
Aug. 31 vs. UConn
Sep. 14 at Virginia
Sep. 21 vs. Villanova
Aug. 29 vs. North Carolina
Sep. 7 vs. Rhode Island
Sep. 14 vs. Nevada
Aug. 31 vs. UTEP
Sep. 7 vs. Colorado
Sep. 14 vs. Northern Iowa
Aug. 30 vs. Florida Atlantic
Sep. 14 vs. Prairie View
Sep. 21 at Boston College
Aug. 29 vs. Howard
Sep. 7 vs. Akron
Sep. 21 at Virginia Tech
Aug. 31 vs. Illinois State
Sep. 7 vs. Iowa State
Sep. 14 vs. Troy
Aug. 31 vs Idaho
Sep. 7 vs. Boise State
Sep. 14 at Oregon State
Aug. 29 vs. Eastern Illinois
Sep. 7 vs. Kansas
Sep. 14 vs. Central Michigan
Aug. 31 at West Virginia
Sep. 7 vs. Bowling Green
Sep. 21 vs Kent State
Aug. 30 vs. Western Michigan
Sep. 7 vs. South Dakota
Sep. 14 vs. Alabama
Aug. 31 vs. Indiana State
Sep. 14 vs. Notre Dame
Sep. 21 at Oregon State
Aug. 31 vs. Fresno State
Sep. 7 vs. Texas
Sep. 14 vs. Arkansas State
Aug. 31 at Hawai’i
Sep. 21 at LSU
Nov. 30 vs. Fresno State
Sep. 1 vs. LSU (Vegas Kickoff Classic, Allegiant Stadium)
Sep. 7 vs. Utah State
Nov. 30 at Notre Dame
MORE: Oregon Ducks On BIG Ten Network: How To Watch, Free Code
MORE: Oregon Ducks Snubbed In Best College Town Competition
MORE: Denver Broncos’ Sean Payton Reveals Timeline For Naming Starting Quarterback As Bo Nix Thrives
MORE: NBA Champion Payton Pritchard Marries Youtuber, Blake Griffin Officiates
MORE: Updated Recruiting Rankings: Oregon Ducks Quarterback Commit Akili Smith Jr. Falls
Although Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning has said being in the Big Ten Conference helps with recruiting nationwide, winning over recruits at home is good too.
Rocco Graziano announced Friday afternoon via social media that he had committed to Oregon. Scouts have been raving about Graziano’s kicking ability. He is ranked by “Chris Sailer Kicking” as the No. 59 kicker in the class of 2025. He also participated in July’s Saturday Night Live football camp.
Graziano has a strong leg and easily has a 50-yard-plus field goal range. Additionally, he has been a great punter for Sheldon.
Oregon coach Dan Lanning must have liked what he saw from the Eugene product and gave Graziano an offer late last month. With his commitment earlier today, Graziano is set to be staying in town and suiting up for the Ducks next year.
For the past five seasons, the Oregon Ducks have relied on kicker Camden Lewis for field goals, extra points, and kickoffs. Last season, Lewis became the all-time scoring leader in the history of Oregon Ducks football. With Lewis now out of the picture, the Ducks will need to replace him.
Junior Atticus Sappington, senior Andrew Boyle, freshman Grant Meadors, and freshman Gage Hurych are the four Ducks placekickers on the roster for the 2024-25 season. It is expected that Sappington will be the one to primarily take field goals and extra points. For Oregon State last season, he was 13-for-14 on field goals and 49-for-50 on extra points.
When Graziano joins the team in 2025, he will have no shortage of competition if he wants to become the starting kicker. As Oregon and college football fans know, having a reliable kicker is hard to come by. Time will tell if any of these players can step up and take on the pressure of kicking for a team vying for a College football playoff spot year in and year out.
If Oregon is going to get over the hump and win its first football national championship, having a glaring hole at any position is unacceptable. One position that has haunted the Ducks in the past has been kicker.
Having a shaky kicking game can be detrimental to a football team. It will do more than take three points off the board on missed field goals. It can cause coaches and players to second-guess every decision on a drive. If there is no confidence in a kicker to knock it through the uprights, the play calling will get ultra-aggressive. Sometimes, this can lead to successful conversions. However, it also leads to empty drives and the kicker on the sideline during a fourth down thinking about how his team doesn’t believe in him. When he gets called upon later in the game or season, that thought can creep right back into his head in the biggest moment.
Having an unreliable kicking game is a big obstacle to overcome. The Ducks hope to have found a kicker in Rocco Graziano that will give them confidence every time he steps out onto the field.
MORE: Denver Broncos’ Sean Payton Reveals Timeline For Naming Starting Quarterback As Bo Nix Thrives
MORE: NBA Champion Payton Pritchard Marries Youtuber, Blake Griffin Officiates
MORE: Updated Recruiting Rankings: Oregon Ducks Quarterback Commit Akili Smith Jr. Falls
MORE: Oregon Ducks Coach Dan Lanning Previews ‘Unbelievable’ Ohio State In Highly-Anticipated Big Ten Game
MORE: Oregon Duck Mascot Skips Rival Washington Huskies in Big Ten Tour
The Oregon Ducks have added a local specialist to their 2025 recruiting class.
Sheldon High School kicker and punter Rocco Graziano announced his commitment to the Ducks on Friday. Graziano received an offer after attending Oregon’s “Saturday Night Live” camp in July, and he has decided to stay home.
Graziano hit 8 of 9 field goals his junior year at Sheldon, including a long of 46 yards. He was 36-of-36 on extra points with an 82% touchback percentage on kickoffs.
Adding Graziano into the mix, Oregon now has 15 players in its 2025 class. That includes five-star safety Trey McNutt (Ohio); five-star wide receivers Dakorien Moore (Texas) and Dallas Wilson (Texas); four-star wide receiver Cooper Perry (Arizona); four-star running backs Dierre Hill (Illinois) and Jordon Davison (California); four-star quarterback Akili Smith Jr. (California); four-star offensive linemen Ziyare Addison (Florida) and Alai Kalaniuvalu (Nevada); four-star linebacker Nasir Wyatt (California); four-star edge rusher Matthew Johnson (California); four-star cornerbacks Brandon Finney (Maryland) and Dorian Brew (Texas); and three-star offensive tackle Demetri Manning (Washington).
— Ryan Clarke covers the Oregon Ducks and Big Ten Conference for The Oregonian and co-hosts the Ducks Confidential podcast. He can be reached at rclarke@oregonian.com or @RyanTClarke.
Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com.
Thunderstorm watch issued for metro Atlanta
1 resident injured in Minneapolis kitchen fire
Fantasy Guru Says Colts Anthony Richardson ‘High Risk, High Reward’
Live Updates: NFL Preseason, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Buffalo Bills
JagExpress Shuttle Service
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
At least 2 dead as tornadoes hit Alabama, damage homes across Southeast
As DNC approaches, party remains at impasse with with anti-Israel 'uncommitted' movement
Harris and Trump zero in on key swing state as US election race heats up
Want to know November's election outcome? Washington's primary may be a crystal ball
Cross-Tabs: August 2024 Times/Siena Poll of the Likely Electorate in North Carolina
Florida GOP lawmaker wants to ban smoking on streets, but supports legalizing marijuana
-
Ohio3 days agoOhio taxpayers sent families $966 million for private school tuition: Capitol Letter
-
Politics1 week agoKamala Harris shuts down anti-Israel protesters during campaign speech in Michigan: 'I'm speaking'
-
Finance1 week ago
Why stocks tumbled today
-
World5 days agoWhat could an EU Commissioner do to tackle the housing crisis?
-
Movie Reviews1 week ago‘It Ends With Us’: What the Critics Are Saying
-
Politics1 week agoTim Walz 'misspoke' about using weapons ‘in war,' Harris campaign says: report
-
Politics1 week agoProgressive women's groups silent on second gentleman Doug Emhoff's affair
-
Politics1 week agoTrump says Biden had the 'right to run,' but Dem Party 'took it away'
