Salisbury Sees Downed Trees, Lightning, and Flooding from Intense Afternoon Storm

A strong thunderstorm stalled over the City of Salisbury Tuesday afternoon, leading to localized flooding, gusty winds, frequent lightning, and scattered damage across the area.

Heavy Rain Triggers Flood Advisory

Between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m., Doppler radar and rain gauges recorded 1.5 to 2 inches of rainfall in less than an hour over Salisbury. The National Weather Service issued a Flood Advisory for the city and east-central Rowan County, citing nuisance flooding along creeks and in low-lying roadways.

Flood-prone areas along Town Creek, Grants Creek, and Crane Creek reached near-bankfull levels. Storm drains along several city streets, including portions of E Innes Street and Bringle Ferry Road, briefly overflowed.

Tree Damage Reported

Strong wind gusts estimated near 40 mph were enough to bring down limbs and trees across several parts of the city. One of the more serious incidents occurred in a parking lot near North Long Street, where a tree fell onto a parked car, causing visible damage. No injuries were reported.

Additional limbs were reported down in:

• The Morlan Park Road area

• Along Jake Alexander Boulevard

• Near South Main Street

Lightning Strikes Across the City

Tuesday's storm was also electrically active, producing numerous cloud-to-ground lightning strikes. Emergency services responded to:

• A lightning strike near E Innes Street, which caused a temporary power fluctuation

• A strike near Faith Road, which triggered a fire alarm and minor fire department response

A Reminder of Summer Storm Risks

While no severe thunderstorm warnings were issued for Salisbury, the event highlighted how impactful a strong, slow-moving summer storm can be. Rowan County Weather will continue to monitor daily storm chances this week as heat and humidity remain elevated.