Tornado could destroy roofs of buildings in southern Michigan town
On March 6, 2026, video captured the moment the roof of a store and warehouse in Three Rivers, Michigan was blown off by high winds and a possible tornado.
Storms and tornadoes in southern Michigan on March 6 left three people dead and more than a dozen injured, according to the Branch County Sheriff’s Office.
Three of the 12 injured people were taken to local hospitals after the storm in the Lake Union area of Branch County, Michigan.
“Our thoughts are with those who lost family, friends, and property in this incident,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
The National Weather Service office in northern Indiana will conduct a storm survey in parts of Michigan’s Cass, St. Joseph, and Branch counties in connection with damage caused by severe thunderstorms that moved from Edwardsburg to Three Rivers and Union City on March 6.
Officials say more severe weather is likely to continue into March 7. Residents should evacuate immediately and continue to monitor reliable weather and news sources for the latest information.
A “large and extremely dangerous tornado” initially struck Three Rivers, Michigan, causing significant damage, according to preliminary reports from NWS offices in northern Indiana.
Tornado hits Three Rivers, Michigan on March 6th
St. Joseph County was under a tornado warning when the storm hit.
The tornado occurred amid severe thunderstorms moving through the area. St. Joseph County storm trackers and emergency management staff reported to the National Weather Service that multiple tornadoes touched down before damaging the southwest side of Three Rivers just before 4 p.m. local time.
Local authorities also reported to the weather service that people were trapped in debris between Niles and Edwardsburg in neighboring Cass County, Michigan, and needed to be rescued. A tornado warning was issued for parts of Cass and St. Joseph counties around 3:14 p.m. local time, and continued at 3:52 p.m.
The storm that spawned the tornadoes that hit Three Rivers continued to show signs of organization and potential strengthening as it moved into central Michigan, within the boundaries of the Grand Rapids National Weather Service region, the weather service reported.
Social media videos posted from St. Joseph and Cass counties showed part of the roof of a Menards store in Three Rivers peeling off, sending debris flying into the air.
The weather service also reported a “large debris ball” on radar over Union City, Michigan. Reports of damage were received along a roughly 90-mile strip between Niles and Union City, but it was not immediately clear whether it was caused by one tornado or multiple tornadoes.
At 5 p.m., the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Office shared a Facebook post asking people to “stay away from the north end of the county” until further notice. “Emergency personnel are currently responding to active situations in the area, and it is important that firefighters, law enforcement officers, paramedics, and other first responders have clear access,” the office said.
The Three Rivers tornado was one of several tornadoes to hit the United States since March 5th.
In Oklahoma, a woman and her daughter were killed when their van was caught in a tornado on March 5th. Bureau of Meteorology meteorologists were still assessing the damage caused by the storm on the afternoon of March 6.
tornado warning
Forecast of danger for storms on the afternoon of March 6th
Tornado warning issued for Three Rivers
This warning was issued just after 3pm on March 6th. The 3:52 p.m. update warned of “particularly hazardous conditions” as a large and extremely dangerous tornado moved northeast over Three Rivers at 40 mph.
Dinah Boyles Pulver, a national correspondent for USA TODAY, writes about violent weather, climate change and other news. Contact dpulver@usatoday.com or @dinahvp on Bluesky or dinahvp.77 on X or Signal.
