Michigan Tornado Today: EF-3 Kills 3 Near Union City at 150 MPH, 12-Year-Old Dies Near Edwardsburg — 4 Dead Total in Southwest Michigan Outbreak
Southwest Michigan is in a state of emergency. A catastrophic tornado outbreak ripped through the region on Friday, March 6, 2026, sending at least four confirmed tornadoes tearing across Branch, St. Joseph, and Cass counties — killing four people, injuring more than 20, knocking out power to thousands, and reducing lakefront homes to bare concrete slabs. The National Weather Service has confirmed the Union City tornado as an EF-3 with peak winds of 150 mph — the first EF-3 to hit Michigan since May 2022.
The Union City Michigan Tornado: EF-3, 150 MPH, Three Dead at Union Lake
The National Weather Service has rated the Union City tornado that struck Friday as an EF-3 with maximum winds of 150 mph. Damage assessments are still ongoing, and more details about the tornado will be released later. The last EF-3 tornado confirmed in Michigan occurred on May 20, 2022, in Gaylord.
Three victims were killed when the tornado struck near Union Lake, west of Union City, according to the Branch County Sheriff's Office. One victim, Penni Jo Guthrie, 65, of Union City was killed after the tornado destroyed her home on Union Lake. Twelve more were hurt in that same area, with three hospitalized.
Several homes along Union Lake were taken off their foundation and destroyed, leaving only the cement slab they were built on. The NOAA damage assessment toolkit showed damage consistent with winds of 165 mph, underscoring the potential for the NWS' final EF rating to change upward as additional survey work is completed.
Three Rivers Michigan Tornado: EF-2, 130 MPH, Menards Roof Destroyed
The tornado that tore through the center of Three Rivers, producing significant damage to several homes and businesses, injured 10, according to a preliminary NWS survey. The Three Rivers tornado was given a preliminary EF-2 rating with peak winds of 130 mph, though the NWS stressed future adjustments are possible as additional damage is surveyed.
The tornadoes caused significant damage including destroying the roof of a Menards store in Three Rivers, as well as trees, homes, and pole barns across the affected counties. A car was impacted inside an Applebee's in Three Rivers — a viral image that has become the defining visual of the outbreak across social media.
Indiana Michigan Power reported more than 5,500 of its customers in southwest Michigan, predominantly in the Three Rivers area, were without power. Midwest Energy and Communications, serving parts of southwest Michigan, reported another 1,300 customers without power.
Fourth Fatality: 12-Year-Old Boy Killed Near Edwardsburg, Cass County
In neighboring Cass County, a fourth fatality, identified Saturday as a 12-year-old boy, was reported near Edwardsburg, where several others were injured near the Indiana state line.
The NWS Northern Indiana office confirmed multiple tornado touchdowns across southern lower Michigan, with survey teams sent to assess Cass County damage expected to release preliminary ratings early next week. The tornado path ran from west of Edwardsburg through Three Rivers to the Union City and Union Lake area.
Where Is Union City Michigan: Geography and the Storm Path
Union City is located about 25 miles east-southeast of Kalamazoo in Branch County. Three Rivers is located approximately 25 miles away in St. Joseph County.
Lonnie Fisher, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service Northern Indiana, said the damage path extended from west of Edwardsburg all the way to Three Rivers and the Union City and Union Lake area. Between those three points there was minimal damage, suggesting the tornado may have briefly lifted or dissipated before redeveloping as it moved northeast at approximately 40 mph.
Governor Whitmer Activates Emergency Operations Center
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer activated the State Emergency Operations Center Friday night in response to the storms. "Tonight, I am activating our State Emergency Operations Center to coordinate an all-hands-on-deck response to severe weather in southwestern Michigan," Whitmer said in a statement. "By taking this action, we can ensure the state can monitor and respond to local requests. I want to thank all the first responders on the ground who reacted quickly to keep Michiganders safe."
Whitmer posted on X: "Our entire state is wrapping its arms around Three Rivers, Union City, Edwardsburg, and everywhere in between. Our hearts are with the families who lost loved ones and the Michiganders who were injured."
Eyewitness Accounts: "It Got Really Massive, Really Fast"
Lisa Piper, who lives on Union Lake in Union City, was sitting on her deck when the tornado developed. She said she could hear thunder for about a half hour, then the winds shifted, the tornado formed and "it got really massive, really fast." The tornado did not touch Piper's home on the south side of the lake but "really devastated the cove" on the north side, taking out trees and leveling homes.
Search and recovery efforts are continuing Sunday around Union Lake west of Union City. Vehicular access to Union Lake remains restricted, with emergency vehicles and power line crews working through the night across multiple counties. Anyone in southwest Michigan with storm damage is urged to contact their county emergency management office, and residents should continue to monitor the National Weather Service Northern Indiana office for final tornado ratings and updated damage path surveys.
