Key Takeaways
- The National Weather Service issued four tornado warnings covering Dearborn, Taylor, Dearborn Heights, Monroe, Warren, Sterling Heights, Troy, St. Clair Shores, Roseville, Eastpointe and surrounding areas Saturday evening; all warnings expired by 7 p.m.
- An EF1 tornado was later confirmed in Van Buren Township, Michigan.
- A special marine warning was in effect for Lake Erie and the Detroit River, and a flood watch remained active for Metro Detroit, Ann Arbor, the Thumb and central Michigan until midnight.
- Governor Gretchen Whitmer has requested a federal disaster declaration for three southwest Michigan counties after deadly March tornadoes, estimating $1.4 million in needed aid.
- Earlier in March, four tornadoes (including an EF3 that killed three) struck Branch, Cass, St. Joseph and Calhoun counties, destroying 33 homes and damaging many more.
On Saturday evening, April 4, 2026, the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a series of tornado warnings as a powerful line of severe storms swept across southeast Michigan. The first set of warnings covered Dearborn, Taylor and Dearborn Heights until 6:15 p.m.; a second addressed Monroe, South Monroe and West Monroe until 6:30 p.m.; a third warned Warren, Sterling Heights and Troy through 7 p.m.; and a fourth covered St. Clair Shores, Roseville and Eastpointe also until 7 p.m. The alerts also extended to major transportation corridors, including stretches of Interstate 75 (mile markers 35‑44), Interstate 275 (13‑21), Interstate 94 (188‑209), Interstate 96 near mile marker 183, and M‑39 between mile markers 6‑10.
Radar imagery showed a rotating thunderstorm over Belleville at 5:48 p.m., moving northeast at 45 mph. By 5:55 p.m. the storm had reached Romulus, maintaining the same speed and rotation, prompting urgent warnings for communities directly in its path—Taylor, Romulus, Dearborn, Wyandotte and Greenfield Village were expected to feel impacts around 6 p.m., with additional areas such as Inkster, Wayne, Melvindale and Westland also at risk. A separate tornado warning for Monroe County communities remained active through 6:30 p.m., while the warnings for Macomb and Oakland counties persisted until 7 p.m.
Residents in all warned zones were instructed to take immediate shelter in a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building, stay away from windows, and avoid travel if possible. The NWS emphasized the primary hazard as a tornado, noting the potential for dangerous flying debris, damage or destruction of mobile homes, and likely harm to roofs, windows, vehicles and trees.
Concurrently, the agency issued a special marine warning for the waters of Lake Erie from the Detroit River to North Cape, as well as the Detroit River itself, effective until 6:45 p.m., cautioning boaters about hazardous conditions. Earlier in the day, a flood watch had been issued for Metro Detroit, parts of Ann Arbor, the Thumb and central Michigan. The watch, which remained in effect until midnight, warned that heavy rain—already totaling 1 to 3 inches earlier Saturday—could produce excessive runoff, raising water levels in rivers, creeks and streams and increasing the risk of flooding, especially in low‑lying areas and locations with poor drainage.
The severe weather event came on the heels of a deadly tornado outbreak in early March. On March 6, four tornadoes struck southwest Michigan: an EF3 in Branch County’s Union City area killed three people and injured 12; an EF1 in Cass County claimed the life of a 12‑year‑old boy; an EF2 in St. Joseph County’s Three Rivers and an EF0 in Calhoun County added to the toll. Preliminary damage assessments indicated 33 homes destroyed, 74 with major damage and more than 200 with minor damage across Branch, Cass and St. Joseph counties, though officials suspect the true extent is greater.
In response to that March disaster, Governor Gretchen Whitmer recently petitioned President Donald Trump to declare a major disaster for three southwest Michigan counties. If approved, the declaration would unlock federal aid to help residents with home repairs, temporary housing and other recovery needs. Whitmer emphasized that while the state has already declared an emergency, federal assistance is essential for long‑term rebuilding, estimating that roughly $1.4 million in aid is required. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will review the request and advise the president, noting that the scale of damage surpasses the state’s capacity to respond alone.
As of the latest update, all tornado warnings had expired by 7 p.m. Saturday, but the flood watch persisted, and residents were urged to remain vigilant for lingering rain‑related hazards and any future severe weather developments.