Thursday Storm Timeline: When Rowan County Could See Strongest Weather

By Steve Monday | Rowan County Weather
May 8, 2025

Rowan County is under a severe weather risk today, with the potential for strong to severe thunderstorms developing later this afternoon into the evening hours. Here's a breakdown of when to expect the most active weather and what to watch for.

Morning to Early Afternoon (Now – 2 PM)

Conditions remain mostly sunny to partly cloudy, with no active storms expected locally during this window. Any rain or storms seen on radar this morning are located to our southwest over South Carolina, moving east away from Georgia and not impacting our area.

Mid Afternoon (2 PM – 5 PM)

Clouds will start to increase across Rowan County as the atmosphere destabilizes. During this time, scattered storm development begins to organize to our west and northwest. Conditions here remain dry or see only isolated showers before 5 PM.

Late Afternoon to Evening (5 PM – 10 PM)

This is the primary window for strong to severe storms in Rowan County.

SPC Risk Levels:

• Slight Risk (Level 2) – Includes Salisbury, Spencer, Cleveland, China Grove, Landis, and Kannapolis

• Marginal Risk (Level 1) – Covers Granite Quarry, Faith, and Rockwell

Main Threats:

• Large hail (up to 2 inches)

• Damaging wind gusts (50–60 mph possible)

• Brief periods of heavy rainfall

Storms that develop in this window may be isolated, but those that do turn strong could intensify quickly. This is when your severe weather alert systems should be on standby.

Late Evening to Midnight (10 PM – 12 AM)

Storms will begin to weaken and move east, but some lingering showers and thunder are possible before midnight. Localized heavy rainfall is still possible during this time. Rainfall totals may range from a half inch to three-quarters of an inch, with higher amounts under stronger cells.

Overnight (12 AM – 6 AM Friday)

Conditions calm down after midnight, but patchy fog may develop across the county early Friday morning as skies remain mostly cloudy and humidity stays high. Temperatures drop into the low 60s.

What You Can Do Now

• Charge devices and review severe weather plans

• Enable weather alerts on your phone

• Stay informed with real-time updates from Rowan County Weather on social media

We’ll continue to monitor radar trends and issue alerts as needed throughout the day and evening. Follow along for updated information, including watch and warning coverage if issued.