Good morning West Alabama. It is Thursday, October 10, 2024.

The good news is Hurricane Milton wasn't as bad as it was expected to be. The bad news is it was still devastating. It brought powerful winds, rains and flooding to much of Florida after making landfall along the Gulf Coast as a Category 3 storm.

Milton weakened to a Category 1 storm as it across Floriday early this morning before exiting into the Central Atlantic. Power outages of more than 2-million and deaths have been reported from the second powerful hurricane to hit the southeast in two weeks.

The best news from the track of Milton is that the eye of the storm made landfall just south of Tampa, keeping the maximum storm surge, winds and rainfall out of Tampa Bay. But St. Petersburg wasn't so lucky. Tropicana Field, the home of the MLB Tampa Bay Rays, was badly damaged Wednesday night as high winds slammed the region. Some residents were sheltering there but no injuries have been reported.

Before Milton even made landfall, heavy rain and more than 100 tornadoes lashed parts of southern Florida on Wednesday morning. The Spanish Lakes Country Club, a retirement center, near Fort Pierce, on Florida’s Atlantic Coast, was hit particularly hard, with homes destroyed and some residents killed.

Damage assessments are underway as are rescue efforts. Hundreds of volunteers, Alabama Power Employees and responders from Alabama are participating in the response and recovery operations.

Don't forget, hurricane season does not end until November 30th.

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Alabama would have liked to have had at least some of Hurricane Milton's rainfall. The current U.S. Drought Monitor shows abnormally dry and moderate drought conditions covering West Alabama.

Unfortunately, there is no significant relief forecasted over the next week-plus.

The Forecast:

Today
Sunny, with a high near 83. North wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight
Clear, with a low around 53. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Friday
Sunny, with a high near 81. Light northeast wind becoming north 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.
Friday Night
Clear, with a low around 51. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
The Weekend

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Topping the News:

Many Florida evacuees from Hurricane Milton are watching what is happening back home from Alabama this morning. Diane Booth’s family brought their motor home to the Hoover Met and told news partner ABC3340 it took them more than seven hours to drive what normally would take two hours during their evacuation out of Florida.


The Better Business Bureau of central Alabama is warning Alabamians that individuals are using artificial intelligence to fake storm relief images on social media. The manipulated images have been spreading since Hurricane Helene are again being posted in the wake of Hurricane Milton.

BBB says the ads are meant to prey on people’s emotions. One of the most popular images circulating was of a little girl, holding a puppy, as she was rescued by boat. This image is fake.


Former Walker County Jail corrections officers Heather Lasha Craig and Bailey Clark Ganey have agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges in the death of 33-year-old Tony Mitchell. He died from hypothermia after being held naked in a concrete cell for two weeks. Two other officers entered similar pleas in August and September.


16-year-olds DeAundrea Heck and Feleena Ortiz have been reported missing in Fayette. They were both last seen this past Sunday night in the area of Temple Avenue North in Fayette. ALEA has not said if the pair were together.

Contact Fayette Police of ALEA if you have information about their whereabouts.


 

$43.9 million to the State of Alabama to support lead pipe replacement and ensure clean, safe drinking water for Alabama communities. The announcement was made by West Alabama 7th District Democrat Congresswoman Terri Swell.

The Biden Administration announced Monday, a requirement to eliminate all lead pipes in Alabama’s drinking water systems within the next 10 years.


 

Alabama will receive over $970,000 in funds from a settlement with Marriott International, Inc. as the result of a data breach investigation. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced Wednesday the settlement was made with a coalition of 50 Attorneys General. There are several Marriott properties in Tuscaloosa.


 

City of Tuscaloosa will conduct a ribbon cutting for the upgrades at Snow Hinton Park tomorrow. City of Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox, the 6th District Councilman John Faile and Peggy Hogue will be in attendance. 

The 10:00 ceremony will be at 1000 Hargrove Road East.


 

A person driving a white pick-up truck has been reported to be driving through Northwood Lake and other neighborhoods in Northport stealing Harrs-Walz presidential campaign signs out of yards. He is reportedly a white male and is wearing facial covering.


 

UA homecoming is just around the corner and students will be going to the ballot box to select the queen and her court. The vote is scheduled for Monday, October 22nd. The queen will be announced at the homecoming pep rally and bonfire on Friday October 25th.

The Alabama football team will host SEC rival Missouri for the homecoming game.


 


 

Topping Sports News:

Jacksonville State blasted New Mexico State 54-13 in a Wednesday night Conference USA game at Jax State. JSU will have an open date before playing Middle Tennessee in two weeks.


 

There two high school games involving West Alabama teams tonight. Greensboro will be hosting Wilcox Central at 7. Carbon Hill travels to Phil Campbell.


 

Alabama Head Football Coach Kalen DeBoer addressed problems that led to last weekend's embarrassing loss to Vanderbilt in Nashville and looked ahead to South Carolina during "Hey Coach".

Read More:��“Hey Coach” & the Kalen DeBoer Show Ahead of South Carolina


 

Click TuscaloosaThread.com for the latest West Alabama news, sports and weather. Better yet, download the app.

Enjoy the comfortable temperatures and low humidity today!

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