Likely Tornado Flips Cars, Splits Trees in South Salisbury

SALISBURY, Md. (WBOC/AP)- The National Weather Service says that Monday afternoon's storm that blew through Salisbury was most likely a tornado.

NWS Meteorologist Mike Dutter said Monday that the service will make an official confirmation on Tuesday when officials inspect the damage.

The incident happened sometime between 1:35 and 1:45 p.m. with fire and emergency crews responding to numerous incidents on South Salisbury Boulevard and the surrounding area. 

In the parking lot of The Pavilion at 1400 South off of South Salisbury Boulevard, high winds flipped a car onto two others. And on the same property, two other cars were overturned.

The storm also damaged properties on nearby College Avenue and Rogers and Johnson streets, about three-quarters of a mile from the first damage on South Salisbury Boulevard. In both locations the signs could be seen: several trees were split or knocked over. Some utility poles were also damaged. 

There were no reported injuries, according to Wicomico County Emergency Services Director David Shipley.

Dutter said the National Weather Service had issued a severe thunderstorm warning with the possibility of a tornado.

He said the storm intensified extremely rapidly but only briefly over Salisbury. If it was a tornado, he said it appears to have touched the ground for course of a mile, maybe two.

#Collect: http://www.wboc.com/story/36079980/possible-tornado-causes-damage-in-south-salisbury