Why Rowan County Is in a Marginal Risk Today—But Likely Won’t See Much Storm Action

ROWAN COUNTY, NC (May 31, 2025) – If you’ve seen today’s severe weather outlook map, you might have noticed that Rowan County is included in the Marginal Risk area (Level 1 of 5) for severe storms. While that sounds concerning, the good news is that our actual risk today is very low, and most of us will stay dry.

What Does “Marginal Risk” Mean?

The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) issues daily severe weather outlooks using five risk levels:

• Level 1 – Marginal

• Level 2 – Slight

• Level 3 – Enhanced

• Level 4 – Moderate

• Level 5 – High

A Marginal Risk means that isolated storms could become strong, but widespread severe weather is not expected. Think of it as “keep an eye on the radar, but no need to change your plans.”

So Why Is Rowan County Included?

The inclusion of Rowan County in today’s outlook has more to do with regional dynamics than specific local threats.

• The main energy and instability are focused well to our north and northeast—mainly in Virginia and Maryland.

• Locally, we have drier air, limited moisture, and no strong trigger for storm development.

• We could see a stray shower or storm pop up late this afternoon, but most of the area will remain dry.

“Today’s setup isn’t one that screams severe weather for Rowan County,” said Steve Monday, Chief Forecaster for Rowan County Weather.
“We’re included in the Marginal Risk more as a precaution, but the ingredients for strong storms just aren’t lining up locally.”

Today’s Forecast at a Glance

• High: 78°

• Sky: Mostly sunny

• Wind: West 9 to 14 mph, gusts up to 25 mph

• Storm Chance: Low – any storms that form will be isolated and brief

What to Watch For

Even though we don’t expect any major issues today, isolated storms can still produce gusty winds or brief downpours. That’s why Rowan County is technically in the risk zone. But for now, there’s no need for alarm—just stay weather-aware if you’ll be out this evening.

We’ll continue monitoring the radar and will let you know if anything changes. For now, enjoy the sunshine and breezy weather as we close out the last day of May.

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