DETROIT – Three tornadoes touched down across southeast Michigan early Thursday morning as a powerful line of thunderstorms swept through the region, according to National Weather Service damage surveys.
The strongest of the three tornadoes, rated EF-1 with peak winds of 90 mph, struck near Gregory (Livingston County), causing significant damage to multiple farm buildings. Two weaker EF-0 tornadoes were confirmed near St. Charles (Saginaw County) and Atlas Township (Genesee County).
The most destructive tornado carved a 1.6-mile path between Stockbridge and Gregory just after midnight. The EF-1 twister damaged three barns at Hickory Ridge Dairy Farm and snapped numerous hardwood trees before transitioning into a downburst south of Gregory that produced widespread tree damage with winds up to 75 mph, according to NWS information.
The St. Charles tornado, rated EF-0 with peak winds of 85 mph, touched down at 12:05 a.m. EDT near Dempsey Road and Walnut Street. The quarter-mile-wide tornado uprooted numerous trees and caused minor structural damage as it tracked northeast for 1.6 miles, crossing through Coal Miners’ Park before dissipating, according to NWS information.
A third tornado, also rated EF-0, developed near Atlas at 12:35 a.m. EDT. This compact tornado, measuring 100 yards wide, damaged both soft and hardwood trees along its 1.2-mile path before lifting north of Goodrich, according to NWS information.
Despite the intensity of the storms, luckily, no injuries or fatalities were reported from any of the three tornadoes. The primary damage consisted of:
- Uprooted and sheared trees
- Damaged farm buildings and barns
- Minor structural damage to homes
- Downed large tree limbs
The storms were part of a larger system that produced widespread straight-line wind damage across southeast Michigan during the overnight hours of May 15-16.
