Tornado outbreak of March 5–7, 2026

From March 5 to 7, 2026, a significant and deadly tornado outbreak impacted areas of the Central and Midwestern United States, particularly the states of Oklahoma and Michigan.

On March 5, a mother and daughter were reported dead in Major County, Oklahoma after an EF2 tornado that passed through the area west of Fairview struck their car while they were driving near US 60.^[1] Another EF2 tornado caused damage near Jet, and an EF1 tornado moved northwest of Cleo Springs. A tornado also impacted areas near Wakita later that night. Elsewhere, trees were downed and homes and power lines were damaged.^[2][3][4]

The next day, a supercell produced at least one tornado which hit Three Rivers, Michigan, prompting a PDS tornado warning. The tornado caused damage in Cass and St. Joseph counties and caused significant damage at a Menards, with one person being killed in Cass County, along with several injuries being reported.^[5][6][7] The same storm produced a large and damaging tornado near Union City, Michigan, killing three people and injuring 12 others.^[8][9][10] Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer issued a state of emergency in Branch, St. Joseph and Cass counties to coordinate an all-hands-on-deck response to the severe weather.^[11] Back in Oklahoma, several tornadoes were reported in the east central and northeastern part of the state, including an EF3 tornado near the town of Beggs, which caused two fatalities.^[12][13]

A warm front had stalled across south-central Michigan and was slowly moving northward by the afternoon of March 6th. A supercell would form near the Indiana-Michigan state line shortly after 3 pm EST, and would track northeastward along the frontal boundary into Michigan. The frontal boundary allowed for the supercell to tap into enhanced lift and instability in the atmosphere. Southerly winds would boost temperatures into the low to mid 70s across southern Michigan, and there was ample low level moisture being transported into the same region. 40-50 knots of wind-shear and a surface based CAPE gradient of 500-2000 J/kg was in the area by the time the supercell moved into southern Michigan. Helicity values of 200-250 m2/s2 likely aided in tornado formation. ^[14]

This significant and damaging tornado first touched down in St. Joseph County near Roberts Road and M-60, quickly intensifying as it entered the city of Three Rivers. The tornado struck a Menards store at peak intensity, with the roof being torn away on the southwest and northwest sections of the building, and an exterior wall collapsing while several customers were inside shopping.^[25] A nearby U-Haul facility had an entire section lifted off the ground and destroyed. The tornado crossed West Broadway Street before tracking over the Three Rivers Health Hospital, which sustained EF2 damage. The tornado then tracked through central portions of Three Rivers, producing widespread EF1 damage and localized EF2 damage to homes and businesses.^[13] Numerous vehicles sustained damage and powerlines, traffic lights, and trees throughout the city were destroyed.^[26][27][28] The tornado crossed St. Joseph River before severely damaging a lumber yard and uprooting numerous trees in a cemetery. The tornado crossed 6th Avenue Road before striking a mobile home, completely destroying the garage and tearing off the roof. The tornado then struck a newly constructed school transportation facility, destroying the garage doors and removing the entire roof. School buses had their windows shattered, and several trailers were tossed and destroyed. The tornado began to track more eastward before crossing St. Joseph River for a second time, producing EF1 damage to trees and outbuildings north and northeast of Centreville before dissipating north of Spring Creek Road and west of Bucknell Road. The tornado injured 10 people along its path, tracked 12.40 miles (19.96 km), and reached a maximum width of 450 yards (410 m).^[13]

Following the tornado that tracked through the city of Three Rivers, the same supercell produced this short-lived yet unusually strong and deadly tornado that struck areas near Union City in Branch County, killing three people and injuring 12 others. The tornado touched down just northwest of Union Lake near Blossom and Mendon Road, before destroying a pole barn and inflicting damage on a home. The tornado then threw a 500 US gallons (1,900 L) propane tank into a nearby field that also suffered ground scouring. The tornado reached peak intensity around Prairie Rose Lane and Tuttle Lane, where a neighborhood along Prairie Rose Lane was devastated, with several homes being completely swept off their foundations at EF3 intensity and all fatalities occurring in mobile homes that were completely destroyed. An anchored home was completely swept clean, with only a fireplace and subfloor remaining. A man survived by hiding in the fireplace. A multiple-story home was completely demolished, where winds of 160 mph (260 km/h) were estimated. A well-anchored mobile home was tossed around 100 yards (91 m), severely damaging the frame. Several vehicles were thrown in the area.^[29] The tornado weakened as it continued into Union City, where it would inflict EF1–EF2 damage before dissipating near the Branch/Calhoun County line. Lower construction quality and older homes being impacted contributed to a lack of a higher EF rating. The tornado tracked 4.46 miles (7.18 km) and reached a maximum width of 500 yards (460 m).^[13] Trees and powerlines were downed by the tornado, and at least 2,000 customers lost power.^[30]

The following day, professional crews and residents began to clear debris, with trees being extracted from the roofs of homes. Union City High School offered shelter and resources to those affected and began to accept monetary and material donations. Operation BBQ, a volunteer group, arrived in Union City and began to give out free meals to people affected.^[31][32][33] The tornado was the earliest intense tornado to ever occur in the calendar year for the state of Michigan, and was the strongest to take place in the state in nearly 50 years, since an F4 struck the city of Kalamazoo on April 2, 1977.^[14]

This intense, large, and deadly tornado first touched down in western portions of Beggs in Okmulgee County, where it would impact Beggs Middle School and Beggs High School, causing severe roof damage. The tornado also struck a bus barn, which suffered significant damage to its roof and garage doors. The tornado tracked northeast, crossing 15th Street as it snapped and uprooted trees along its path. The tornado tracked over Happy Camp Road before destroying several outbuildings and making a turn to the north along North 180 Road. The tornado reached peak intensity and maximum width just east of Grimes Road, where a mobile home was destroyed, with two people being killed and two others sustaining injuries. Several single-family homes nearby sustained severe roof and window damage. The tornado displaced several vehicles 20–30 yards (18–27 m) from their original positions. A barn in the same area was completely destroyed, and several trees suffered extreme limb loss. The tornado continued to track northeastward, tracking over SH-75 where it would loft a shipping container across the highway and uproot trees. The tornado dissipated shortly after crossing North 205 Road, just south of Fergunson Road and around 3 miles (4.8 km) south of the Okmulgee/Tulsa County line. The tornado tracked 6.80 miles (10.94 km) and reached a maximum width of 950 yards (870 m).^[13][19]

On the cold side of the system, a winter storm affected much of the Rocky Mountains on March 5–6. Heavy snowfall totals were primarily focused in the more mountainous regions where winter storm warnings were issued, with accumulations over 1–2 feet (12–24 in; 30–61 cm); the highest being 26 inches (66 cm).^[34][35] In Denver, Colorado, the city received 8 inches (20 cm), the first snowfall approximately 40 days, owing to a record-warm winter up to that point.^[36][37] Up to 1,302 flights out of Denver International Airport were either delayed or cancelled due to the weather.^[34] Roadways in and around the city were also closed as a result.

Aside from tornadoes, the storm brought significant flash flooding. The flooding led to several roads closing in Dallas as well as one of the ten wettest March days on record in Indianapolis and Springfield, Illinois.^[38] Three people were injured in Rio Grande City, Texas, on March 7th due to damaging winds. Hail up to the size of softballs was also reported near Rio Grande City by the Texas Department of Public Safety.^[39][40]

According to federal weather officials, neither a tornado watch nor a severe thunderstorm watch was put into effect in Michigan during the outbreak due to the storm being primarily concentrated in a small three-county area, which made it difficult to detect in advance; the highest risk level on that day in the area was also only a Level 1 Marginal risk.^[41] Governor Whitmer's office called for a probe into the absence of a tornado watch alert and questioned if it could be attributed to President Donald Trump's funding cutbacks to the National Weather Service.^[42]

• NOAA in the second Trump administration