Wzzm13: Tornado Watch, Flood Watch, and Severe Storms Move Through Southeast Michigan
A Wzzm13 weather alert is in effect across Southeast Michigan as the National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for 17 counties until 4 a. m. Wednesday ET. The watch was issued as conditions became increasingly favorable for severe storms, with rounds of storms moving through Metro Detroit Tuesday night ET. Residents across the region were urged to stay weather aware, keep multiple ways to receive warnings overnight, and be ready to seek shelter quickly if warnings are issued.
Counties and cities under the watch
The watch covers Bay, Genesee, Huron, Lapeer, Lenawee, Livingston, Macomb, Midland, Monroe, Oakland, Saginaw, Sanilac, Shiawassee, St. Clair, Tuscola, Washtenaw, and Wayne counties. Cities named in the alert include Ann Arbor, Flint, Pontiac, Southfield, Troy, Warren, Livonia, Dearborn, Westland, Sterling Heights, Saginaw, Monroe, Midland, and Port Huron, along with many smaller communities across the region.
The National Weather Service said the watch means conditions are favorable for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms capable of producing damaging winds, large hail, and heavy rainfall. Most of Metro Detroit is under an enhanced level 3 risk on a 1 to 5 scale, while the tornado risk for Southeast Michigan is 5% and the gust potential is 30%.
Flood watch adds to overnight risk
A flood watch advisory is also in effect beginning at 8 p. m. April 14 ET through 2 a. m. April 17 ET. That means the overnight period may bring more than one hazard at once, with heavy rainfall adding to the concern already raised by the tornado watch.
Wzzm13 viewers should note that the tornado watch remains in effect through early Wednesday morning ET, making the overnight hours the key period for changes in the weather setup.
What officials are telling residents
Weather officials urged people in the affected areas to remain alert through the night, since warnings can come quickly once storms organize. The guidance from the National Weather Service is clear: have multiple warning methods ready and be prepared to move to shelter without delay if a warning is issued.
That message matters because the region is already dealing with a wide area of coverage, from larger cities to smaller towns and villages, and because conditions are being monitored while storms continue moving through Metro Detroit.
What happens next
The most important development to watch is whether storms strengthen further before daybreak ET. If they do, additional warnings could follow, especially where the tornado watch and flood watch overlap. For now, the Wzzm13 weather situation remains centered on the same urgent advice: stay alert overnight, follow new alerts closely, and be ready to act fast if conditions change.
