Union City had a tornado emergency. What is that?

UNION CITY, Mich. (WOOD) — Storms ripped across West Michigan Tuesday afternoon and evening, spurring the National Weather Service to issue a tornado emergency for Union City.

Many in Michigan may have never heard of that call. Here’s what it means:

WHAT IS A TORNADO EMERGENCY?

Tornado emergencies are issued when there is a confirmed tornado on the ground with 100% certainty. Catastrophic damage and a threat to human life needs to be occurring or imminent.

Around 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, velocity and debris trackers indicated a supercell tornado on the ground. Trained spotters also confirmed a tornado moving northeast around 40 mph.

HISTORY OF TORNADO EMERGENCIES

The tornado-warned cell in Union City on May 7, 2024, was the first tornado emergency ever issued in Michigan.

Since 1999, 199 tornado emergencies have been issued across the country. Out of the 199 tornado emergencies issued, only 16 did not produce a tornado. A total of three tornado emergencies were issued in 2023.

Tuesday’s storm spawned multiple tornadoes in Southwest Michigan: There was also an EF2 in the Portage area and an EF1 around Dowagiac. A brief EF1 tornado was confirmed near Union City, but a second storm survey is still ongoing for the likely tornado which triggered the tornado emergency.

There have been reports of injuries during the Portage tornado. No deaths have been reported from any of Tuesday’s tornadoes in Michigan.

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