2026 Severe Wx - General Thread

[TheClimateChanger]

 

[A-L-E-K]

Hard af

[outflow]

More cells firing to the west, might not be a bad idea for a small tor watch from around Gary to near lansing and surrounding areas 

[Torchageddon]

I haven't seen motion in a MI tornado like that before. The cloud of debris and dust at :37 looks like the condensation part. Fiercer than Dexter and Gaylord!

[frostfern]

25 minutes ago, outflow said:

More cells firing to the west, might not be a bad idea for a small tor watch from around Gary to near lansing and surrounding areas 

Yea.  Both sups this evening and QLCS later after dark could produce.

[frostfern]

I feel bad for the people effected, but the video with the frozen lake in the foreground is classic.

[HillsdaleMIWeather]

Not one to crap on the spc but kinda baffled they didn't issue a watch. They've shown multiple times they're willing to issue one for lone supercells causing tornadoes but this time just didn't.

[HillsdaleMIWeather]

Multiple fatalities in Union City

[Chicago Storm]

^that's violent, to say the least.

[Cartier God]

Could be the first MI violent tornado in nearly 50 years. Tragic to say the least


.

[TriPol]

1 hour ago, Torchageddon said:

I haven't seen motion in a MI tornado like that before. The cloud of debris and dust at :37 looks like the condensation part. Fiercer than Dexter and Gaylord!

Reminds me of the 2011 Tuscaloosa–Birmingham tornado or the El Reno tornado in 2013 that everyone hates talking about. Hopefully the injured recover, but my god... I hate those multi-vortex tornadoes that have those "arms." Those are some of the most violent tornadoes out there.

[Chicago Storm]

Today was a fluke, but it goes to show why the new SPC format is flawed trash.

The science is currently not good enough and never will be good enough to set a min/max on hail size, wind speed and tor strength in outlooks and MD's.

[frostfern]

30 minutes ago, HillsdaleMIWeather said:

Not one to crap on the spc but kinda baffled they didn't issue a watch. They've shown multiple times they're willing to issue one for lone supercells causing tornadoes but this time just didn't.

The coverage is low due to the best forcing lagging farther west (where overnight crapvection muddied things), but I feel like high end potential deserves a watch.  Especially in southern Michigan where the population isn’t exactly sparse.  The parameters were certainly there for a strong tornado, even if the models weren’t firing convection at that time.

[Torchageddon]

Historic MI footage. Near the start you can see some of the ice getting pulled in to the vortex (looks like water with that low res video), another first! Also the longest weather streak I'm aware of may have just ended this afternoon (no confirmed violent tornadoes in MI since 1976 (West Bloomfield F4) or the Augusta 1977 one (unsure)).

[luckyweather]

cold air funnel on my bike ride just now. surreal atmosphere, pockets of dense fog at ground level, would ride through sections where it was like a space heater was blowing on me, and then flip to chilly. 

[A-L-E-K]

The damage pics with ice still on the lake are wild

[HillsdaleMIWeather]

Branch County reporting 5 fatalities with more missing still 

[Stebo]

5 minutes ago, HillsdaleMIWeather said:

Branch County reporting 5 fatalities with more missing still 

You got a source on this I want to share if it's confirmed. 

 

Also I am absolutely numb and in shock from what happened today. I never expected this to happen. 

[HillsdaleMIWeather]

3 minutes ago, Stebo said:

You got a source on this I want to share if it's confirmed. 

 

Also I am absolutely numb and in shock from what happened today. I never expected this to happen. 

Former state rep for the area posted it but it was also on the scanner a little bit ago.

[Stebo]

1 minute ago, HillsdaleMIWeather said:

Former state rep for the area posted it but it was also on the scanner a little bit ago.

Okay thank you!

[SchaumburgStormer]

30 minutes ago, A-L-E-K said:

The damage pics with ice still on the lake are wild

[Harry Perry]

This was only about 15 miles south of me and have seen some video from friends and the like, just not good at all. Many missing/unaccounted for, at least 5 confirmed fatalities and just by looking at the video and damage, I would be willing to bet this is a historical Michigan tornado in the EF-3 range.
 

Truly remarkable but horrific at the same time.  

[HillsdaleMIWeather]

MSC has a video of it crossing Union Lake

https://www.facebook.com/reel/909342021952544/

[sbnwx85]

FWIW, Branch Co. Sheriff's Office says three dead, 12 injured. Of those 12, three are in the hospital.

Cass County Sheriff confirms one dead, several injured. We are hearing it was a child, but that is unconfirmed. Devastating day for SW Michigan.

Saw this on Michigan Native Photography:

[cyclone77]

2 hours ago, Torchageddon said:

Historic MI footage. Near the start you can see some of the ice getting pulled in to the vortex (looks like water with that low res video), another first! Also the longest weather streak I'm aware of may have just ended this afternoon (no confirmed violent tornadoes in MI since 1976 (West Bloomfield F4) or the Augusta 1977 one (unsure)).

On the higher quality version of this vid you can see a huge crack form in the ice right out in front of camera viewpoint.  It then quickly expands and you can see waves splashing within it.  Amazing video.

[michsnowfreak]

13 minutes ago, cyclone77 said:

On the higher quality version of this vid you can see a huge crack form in the ice right out in front of camera viewpoint.  It then quickly expands and you can see waves splashing within it.  Amazing video.

Incredible footage but so sad. I hear there's 3-4 fatalities. Someone said Michigan's deadliest tornado since may 1980.