Four people were killed Friday as tornodoes swept through Southwest Michigan.
Update Monday March 9th 3 p.m.
The Branch County Sheriff's Office has released the names of the three people killed in the EF-3 tornado in Union City. In a statement released Monday, the victims were identified as William Andrew Akers, 63, Keri Ann Johnson, 54, and Penni Jo Guthrie, 65.
According to the Detroit News, Governor Gretchen Whitmer has also called for a federal investigation into why the National Weather Service did not issue a tornado watch for the areas of Michigan impacted by tornadoes before the storms hit.
Update Sunday March 8th 8:31 p.m.
The National Weather Service says the tornado that swept through Edwardsburg on Friday was an "EF-1" with wind speeds of 95 miles per hour. The Union City tornado was given an "EF-3" rating on Saturday. The maximum wind speed is now estimated at 160 miles per hour it was originally reported as 150 miles per hour. According to the National Weather Service, the Union City tornado is the strongest one in Michigan since an "F4" that struck Kalamazoo and Eaton Counties in 1977. The Three Rivers tornado was an "EF-2" according to the NWS, with estimated wind speeds up to 130 miles per hour.
Update Sunday March 8th 3:03 p.m.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer formally declared a state of emergency for Cass, St. Joseph and Branch Counties Sunday morning. She says the declaration "will ensure that every state resource is available to assist in recovery efforts from the devastating tornadoes on Friday."
In a post on Facebook Whitmer was surveying the damage from a helicopter.
The Michigan State Police Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division is asking residents to fill out a survey to report damage from Friday's storms.
The Branch County Community Foundation and the Branch County United Way have established a relief fund which is accpeting donations. The foundation says it is working with community partners to identify the biggest needs.
The Cass County Sheriff's Office says a 12 year old boy was killed in Friday's tornado. A Facebook post says Silas Anderson died from injuries he sustained due to the storm.
Edwardsburg Public Schools says crisis team members will be available for students and staff in the district's buildings "who may need someone to talk to or who may be struggling."
In a Facebook post, the district says the supports will remain available for as long as they are needed.
Update Saturday Marth 7th 5:04 p.m. Governor Gretchen Whitmer says she will declare a state of emregency for Cass, St. Joseph and Branch Counties following the severe storms that moved through the area on Friday. In a post on Facebook Saturday, the govenror says
"We’re working with emergency teams to monitor the situation and coordinate resources for those impacted. My heart is with the families who lost loved ones and the Michiganders who were injured yesterday."
Update Saturday March 7th 2:07 p.m. The National Weather Service says an "EF-3" tornado with winds up to 150 miles per hour hit Union Lake in Branch County on Friday, while the an "EF-2" tornado struck Three Rivers with winds up to 130 miles per hour. A survey of Edwardsburg is planned for Sunday.
The New York Times and other outlets reported that three people were killed in Branch County and one more was killed in Cass County.
The Times and other outlets, including the Detroit Free Press, reported another 12 people were injured because of the storms.
In Three Rivers, MLive reports that the storm ripped through a Menards store, sending shoppers running and screaming.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer activated the State Emergency Operations Center due to the storms. Whitmer says that "will ensure the state can monitor and respond to local requests."
MLive tracked the storms as they moved through Southwest Michigan on Friday.
On Friday, March 6, the National Weather Service issued a series of tornado warnings for Southern Michigan, beginning in Cass County and moving East.
Just after 3 p.m., the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for Cassopolis, Edwardsburg and Marcellus until 3:45 PM EST. The warning included the possibility of quarter-sized hail.
The NWS confirmed the presence of a radar-indicated tornado via rotations detected on radar, and continued to issue tornado warnings for other Michigan counties as the system moved east.
As of 5:30 p.m. on March 6, the latest update from the National Weather Service via the NWS Tornado account on X appeared to show the system in Calhoun County — a continued tornado warning for Albion and Homer was issued at 5:05 p.m. EST.
Though the extent of the damage left in the storm's path is unconfirmed, social media users shared numerous videos and photos of the system across Michigan and the damage it inflicted, appearing to impact structures and trees. MLive also shared photos of extensive damage to the Menards in Three Rivers and other nearby buildings.
Michigan Storm Chasers also shared several videos of the storm systems, with some videos appearing to show multiple tornado vortices forming at the same time.
