By Shavonne Walker

shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — The National Weather Service predicts smaller bands of rain to affect the Rowan County area, but there’s no indication of to what degree, Emergency Services Director Frank Thomason said Monday.

Thomason, who had spoken with weather officials, said a flood watch was in effect for the region through this morning.

The National Weather Service issued a flood watch and flood warning for much of Monday. A flood watch means there is a potential for flooding based on current forecasts.

Heavy rain was expected Monday night. With the ground already saturated, elevated stream levels and flooding were expected and may be aggravated, according to the Weather Service.

Thomason cautioned residents to be alert for possible flood warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action.

Showers are likely today, mainly before 7 a.m., with patchy fog before 9 a.m. The National Weather Service says it will be mostly cloudy, with a high near 65 with a north northeast wind of 8 to 11 mph.

The sun will return Wednesday with a high around 79 degrees.

Monday morning, there were a number of minor incidents caused by flooding throughout the county. As of noon Monday, the Franklin Township area had reported 4.5 inches of rain.

Thomason said some pastures flooded, and there was at least one weather-related crash. A car ran off the road at 6:15 a.m. Monday and overturned into a ditch in the 2100 block of Graham Road. The driver was not injured. Thomason said a low place in the road had excessive water, but the road was not flooded.

In the 1300 block of Emmanuel Church Road, someone reported cattle stranded in a pasture. Members of the Rowan County Rescue Squad helped get the cattle to wade through the water and move along, Thomason said. That was at 7:45 a.m. Monday, he said.

The rain also affected animals stuck in a pasture about 10 a.m. Monday at Seventh Street and Hawkinstown Road. The owners moved them across a couple of feet of water with help from the Rowan County Rescue Squad, he said.

About a dozen trees were reported down across the county, Thomason said. With the foliage saturated, it doesn’t take much wind to uproot a tree.

“There’s nothing to hold it in the ground; then it just comes over,” he said.

Streets were blocked earlier Monday but were soon cleared. No significant power outages were reported, Thomason said.

“Because streams are already saturated, any more significant rainfall has the potential of causing flash floods locally,” he said.

He said emergency crews are watching long-term rainfall in the northwest part of the state, which could affect Rowan County. The South Yadkin River crosses Davie, Yadkin and Wilkes counties, flows into the Yadkin River and runs downstream to High Rock Lake.

Contact reporter Shavonne Walker at 704-797-4253.