Tornado Warning Issued for St. Joseph and Branch Counties in Southwestern Michigan
This alert is no longer in effect.
NOAA issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).
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The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Warning for parts of St. Joseph and Branch counties until 5:00 PM EST following radar-indicated rotation near Colon.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Tornado Warning
- Affected area
- Southwestern Michigan
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Northern Indiana
Tornado warnings are short-window notices for the named area. The issuing office is the authority on whether the warning remains active or has been replaced.
Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Southwestern Michigan.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Northern Indiana has issued a Tornado Warning for portions of southwestern Michigan. The alert is effective immediately and remains in place until 5:00 PM EST.
Affected Areas
The warning covers the following geographic regions:
- Northeastern St. Joseph County in southwestern Michigan
- Northwestern Branch County in southwestern Michigan
Specific locations in the path of the storm include Union City, Sherwood, and Leonidas. The warning also encompasses Interstate 69 in Michigan near mile marker 21.
What You Should Do
TAKE COVER NOW! Residents in the warned area should move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building and stay away from windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter immediately to protect yourself from flying debris.
Expected Conditions
At 4:26 PM EST, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located near Colon, approximately 15 miles northwest of Coldwater. The storm is moving east at 35 mph. Hazards associated with this cell include a tornado and quarter-size hail.
Impacts include dangerous flying debris for those without shelter. Mobile homes may be damaged or destroyed. Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles is expected, along with likely tree damage.
Timeline
The Tornado Warning was issued at 4:26 PM EST on March 6 and is scheduled to expire at 5:00 PM EST. The storm was tracked moving through the area at 35 mph, reaching Union City around 4:30 PM EST.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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