Alabama power outage

Francine is weakening after striking Louisiana as a Category 2 hurricane as it heads far inland from the Gulf Coast. Power outages and damages are being reported across Central Alabama, including in Jefferson County, Tuscaloosa County and Hale County.

Millions of Americans have already been sweltering through heat waves this summer, and forecasters warn of hot months ahead. July 3 and 4, 2023, were two of the hottest days, and possibly the hottest, on satellite record globally. For people who struggle to afford air conditioning, the rising need for cooling is a growing crisis. An alarming number of Americans risk losing access to utility service altogether because they can't pay their bills. Alabama ranks high for this.

Thousands of people across Alabama were without power Wednesday night amid the storms. At one point, the outages were affecting close to 50,000 people in the state. Witnesses posted video of tornadoes hitting Abbeville and Eufala.

DECATUR, Ala. (AP) — Strong storms that knocked down trees and limbs left thousands without power in north Alabama.Decatur Utilities says service was…