Staff report Almost 4,000 Duke Energy customers lost power this afternoon as wind-toppled trees brought down utility lines.
After a rude awakening Wednesday morning with heavy rain and thunder, brisk winds buffeted the area later in the day felling trees.
Slightly more than 1 inch of rain fell across the area before daybreak as a line of storms swept through. By early afternoon, the county’s 911 telecommunicators got a flurry of calls reporting trees or limbs down.
Shortly before 2 p.m., a tree was reported down on Franklin Street in China Grove, blocking the street and causing potential problems as China Grove Elementary prepared to dismiss school for the day. China Grove Fire Department responded to clear the tree near the school.
Another call reported trees down on Glover Road near Old Concord Road. As winds increased, more trees came down, bringing down power lines. Around 3 p.m., Duke reported 3,905 outages in Rowan County. Early Wednesday morning as a line of storms moved through the area, two trees fell near Granite Quarry.
One tree came down at Barringer Street and Faith Road and another on Balfour Quarry Road, partially obstructing traffic. Crews removed the trees early this morning. More trees may be coming down later today as high winds are forecast.
A spokesman for the N.C. Highway Patrol dispatch center said there were no serious wrecks.
Overnight rainfall measured between 1.01 inches at Salisbury Fire Station 1 on East Innes Street to 1.5 inches at L.L. Goodnight and Sons feed store in Enochville. Piedmont Research Station on Sherrill’s Ford Road recorded 1.3 inches.

For a list of outages in the area from Duke Energy, click here.