Union City Michigan Tornado Rated EF-3: 5 Dead, Boy Among Victims, Cleanup Begins Saturday

New and devastating details are emerging Saturday morning from the Union City Michigan tornado disaster. The National Weather Service has now officially rated the tornado that tore through Union City, MI an EF-3 — and the death toll has climbed to five, including a 12-year-old boy, making this the deadliest Michigan tornado outbreak in more than four decades.

NWS Rates Union City Michigan Tornado EF-3 — First in State History for Early March

The National Weather Service announced Saturday that the powerful tornado that tore through Union City, Michigan has been rated an EF-3. The tornado was spawned by a supercell thunderstorm that caused damage across portions of Cass, St. Joseph, and Branch counties.

There is no prior EF-3 or higher tornado on record this early in the year for the state of Michigan, making this a historically unprecedented event. Governor Gretchen Whitmer activated the State Emergency Operations Center following the tornado, as confirmed by the Michigan State Police.

This marks West Michigan's first deadly tornado in more than four decades. The state's last comparable deadly twister occurred in July 1983 when an F2 tornado killed one person near Saugatuck.

Where Is Union City Michigan — and What Does the Damage Look Like

Union City, MI sits in Branch County in southwestern Michigan. On the afternoon of March 6, 2026, a lone supercell developed in La Porte County, Indiana and tracked northeast into Lower Michigan, moving through Cass, St. Joseph, and Branch counties. The north side of Union Lake in Union City was one of the hardest hit areas, with numerous homes taking on significant damage and trees sheared off.

Michigan State Police troopers confirmed Saturday that the three Union City deaths occurred near Tuttle Road on the north side of Union Lake. Two of the deaths happened in the same home, with the third death occurring in a separate residence. Twelve people were injured in the same area, with three requiring hospitalization.

12-Year-Old Boy Killed — Five Dead Across Michigan Tornado Outbreak

A 12-year-old boy died after succumbing to weather-related injuries. The boy's parents called 911 to report they could not find their son as the tornado touched down, and by the time first responders arrived, the parents were already providing him with first aid.

Four fatalities were confirmed in two southwestern Michigan counties — three in the Union Lake area near Union City and one in neighboring Cass County, where homes and agricultural buildings were reduced to debris. The fifth death involved the young boy, pushing the Michigan tornado 2026 toll to five confirmed fatalities.

Three Rivers Michigan Tornado Damage: Menards Roof Ripped Off

Numerous videos from storm chasers, trained spotters, broadcast media, and the public confirmed a tornado in Three Rivers, Michigan. Emergency Management confirmed multiple tornado touchdowns prior to the damage, with reports of significant destruction on the southwest side of Three Rivers.

Tornado sirens blared as a worker pulled into the Menards home improvement store in Three Rivers, MI. Video showed the tornado hitting the Menards store and lifting at least a portion of the roof off the main building. Several businesses along that corridor sustained notable structural damage.

Union City Tornado Recovery: High School Becomes Community Resource Center

Union City High School is now operating as a resource center offering food, equipment, bathroom facilities, dumpsters, and manual labor assistance to storm survivors. Village crews, emergency responders, and utility workers are actively working to assess damage and clear debris throughout the community.

Residents are urged to follow safety precautions during recovery operations, including staying away from damaged or unstable structures marked by emergency personnel, and avoiding downed power lines, fallen trees, and debris throughout affected neighborhoods.

National Weather Service Tornado Warnings Covered 18,000 People

The National Weather Service final tornado warning covered Three Rivers and Centreville, Michigan, an area serving more than 18,000 residents. Injuries were reported in Branch, Cass, and St. Joseph counties, with St. Joseph police advising residents to avoid the north part of the county entirely.

The first major severe weather outbreak of 2026 left a devastating footprint across the American heartland. More than 100 reports of severe weather came in since Thursday, with the storm system also killing two people in Beggs, Oklahoma. More than 100,000 people were left in the dark across the affected region.