4Warn Weather – The National Weather Service Forecast Offices in Northern Indiana and Grand Rapids, Michigan, are now confirming four (4) different tornado touchdowns in Southwestern Michigan from Friday’s severe weather event.
Here’s the latest information about the tornado touchdowns across the Southwestern Portions of the state:
Recommended Videos
Tornado #1: Edwardsburg, Michigan (Cass County)
Rating: TBD
Winds: TBD
Details: The National Weather Service in Northern Indiana will evaluate the damage in Edwardsville through the end of the weekend and issue a subsequent rating on the strength of this tornado.
Tornado #2: Three Rivers, Michigan (St. Joseph County)
Rating: EF-2
Winds: 130 MPH
Details: Initial efforts focused on the area around Michigan 60 and West Broadway St, where several commercial structures were damaged. Based on the assessment of these structures, an EF-2 tornado with winds estimated of at least 130 mph has been confirmed. Only a small portion of the possible track has been assessed. As a result, no path length or width data, as well as start or end times, are available. Further details will be released on Sunday, March 8, as they become available.
Tornado #3: Union City, Michigan (Branch County)
Rating: EF-3
Winds: 150 MPH
Details: Damage in the area, as well as other operations, are limiting access to some locations. However, in the area of Tuttle Road and Prairie Rose Lane, severe damage has occurred to several homes. Based on the initial assessment of the structures, an EF-3 tornado with winds estimated to have been at least 150 mph has been confirmed. Only a small portion of the possible track has been assessed, so no path length or width data, nor any start or end time, is available yet. Further details will be released on Sunday, March 8, as they become available.
Tornado #4: Clarendon Township, Michigan (Calhoun County)
Rating: EF-0
Winds: 85 MPH
Details: An EF-0 tornado with peak winds around 85 mph began just west of the intersection of P Drive South and 18 1/2 Mile Road. The damage path ended near N Drive South between 20 Mile Road and 21 1/2 Mile Road. Several trees were uprooted along the path, and some unhealthy trunk snaps.
There was minor damage to some structures, including a roof off a chicken coop, and an exposed farm outbuilding with some walls collapsed and metal roof material scattered downfield. The end point had an uprooted tree or two, but also numerous trees with limbs recently torn off, presumably not associated with the tornado, as the only torn limbs were those hanging over the road right-of-way.
Enhanced Fujita Scale:
The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:
EF0: 65 to 85 MPH
EF1: 86 to 110 MPH
EF2: 111 to 135 MPH
EF3: 136 to 165 MPH
EF4: 166 to 200 MPH
EF5: >200 mph
The Enhanced Fujita Scale, abbreviated EF Scale, is used to rate the intensity of tornadoes in the United States and Canada. Created to supplement the original Fujita Scale developed by Tetsuya Theodore Fujita, it has been officially used in the U.S. since 2007.
This scale does not directly measure tornado winds; rather, it estimates tornado damage by surveying damage to human-built structures and vegetation.
The damage caused by a tornado is rated from EF-0 to EF-5, with EF-0 being minor damage and EF5 being catastrophic damage. Characteristics of certain “damage indicators” help determine the strength of a tornado.