Michigan’s Last EF3 Tornado: Deadly Gaylord Tornado In 2022

Last weekend, Michigan was caught completely off guard by the earliest EF3 tornado in state history. The tornado outbreak on March 6th produced at least three confirmed tornadoes across Edwardsburg (EF1 with one fatality), Three Rivers (EF2), and Union Lake/City (EF3), with the EF3 tornado especially destructive, killing 3 people. Wind speeds measured up to 160 mph, making it the strongest tornado in Michigan since 1977, according to AccuWeather.

Michigan averages around 15 tornadoes every year, and Michigan has had an average of 16 tornadoes since 2010. But last year and now this year, there have been tornadoes in March, starting tornado season early.

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2026's EF3 is the first one since Gaylord was ripped apart by an EF3 back in May of 2022. Since these are rare storms, let's look back on the last one to hit Michigan.

Gaylord's First Ever Tornado: An EF3 In 2022

Tornadoes in Michigan aren't common to begin with, but tornadoes in northern Michigan are even more uncommon. So that's why, when Gaylord, a small town at the intersection of I-75 and M-32, suddenly began receiving tornado warnings, things quickly got out of control.

⬇️PHOTOS OF THE TORNADO'S DESTRUCTION BELOW⬇️

The town didn't even have tornado sirens because it had never had a tornado before. This wasn't any ordinary tornado, either. This tornado was on the ground for 22 minutes across 17.8 miles, according to the National Weather Service. Windspeeds hit 150 mph, and it was over 200 yards wide.

What made this storm especially destructive was its path. The strong tornado went right over a mobile home park (shown above), killing 2 people and injuring 44 others. It ripped roofs off businesses, and many people were still on the road and in danger as the tornado bore down on them.

The National Weather Service has created an impressive interactive map that shows a minute-to-minute timeline of the storm, which you can view here. As Michigan is still reeling from the last storm, forecasts indicate there could be more severe weather there this afternoon.