A multi-day severe weather outbreak has impacted large portions of the United States, bringing tornadoes, damaging winds, large hail, and flash flooding from the Plains to the Midwest and into the Northeast. The event has resulted in multiple fatalities, injuries, and widespread structural damage.
Fatalities and Injuries
Reports from multiple sources indicate at least eight fatalities have been attributed to the storms.
Michigan:
- In the Union Lake area of Branch County, three deaths and 12 injuries were reported.
- In Cass County, a 12-year-old boy, Silas Anderson, died at a hospital after being found injured during a severe storm.
- A 39-year-old man in Kent County died after a tree fell on him during strong winds.
Oklahoma:
- In Beggs (Okmulgee County), two individuals died and two others were hospitalized after a tornado struck a house.
- In Fairview (Major County), a 47-year-old woman and her 13-year-old daughter were found dead in a vehicle. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol deemed the crash tornado-related.
Texas:
- At least two deaths were reported from an EF2 tornado near Runaway Bay on Saturday. Dozens were displaced.
Total reported fatalities: 8 across three states. Dozens of others have been treated for injuries at hospitals or on scene.
Tornado and Storm Reports
The National Weather Service (NWS) has confirmed multiple tornadoes across different states since the outbreak began.
Michigan:
- An EF-3 tornado struck Union City (Branch County), causing significant damage including snapped trees, damaged vehicles, roof loss, and leveled structures.
- The NWS dispatched teams to southern Michigan and estimated at least three distinct tornadoes.
- An unconfirmed tornado was reported near Edwardsburg (Cass County), where officials reported downed trees and home damage.
Oklahoma:
- A tornado created an approximate 4-mile path of damage in Okmulgee County.
- A violent tornado in Enid (April 30, 2025) was rated EF4, with winds of 170-175 mph. It injured 10 people and damaged 40 homes but caused no fatalities. The NWS confirmed this was the strongest tornado in the US since June 2025.
Texas:
- An EF2 tornado struck Mineral Wells on Tuesday, with winds up to 120 mph. Five people were hospitalized with non-critical injuries. The storm damaged two to three miles of the city.
- An EF1 tornado occurred east of Rio Vista, Texas, with winds up to 90 mph.
Illinois and Indiana:
- A supercell thunderstorm tracked over 120 miles for nearly 4.5 hours from northeast Illinois into northern Indiana.
- An EF1 tornado (winds ~110 mph) was confirmed near Wheatfield, Indiana.
- Giant hail measuring 5 to 6 inches in diameter fell in Buckingham, Campus, and Kankakee, Illinois.
- An EF1 tornado (winds 95 mph) moved through Moro and Midway, Illinois.
Iowa:
- Two EF1 tornadoes occurred in southeastern Iowa near Donnellson (Lee County), with winds of 100 mph and 90 mph respectively.
Other Confirmed Reports:
- An EF2 tornado near Runaway Bay, Texas (Saturday).
- Tornadoes in Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska (reported Saturday).
- A possible tornado in Stone County, Arkansas, stayed on the ground for about 10 miles.
- A possible tornado in southern Oklahoma damaged buildings and transmission towers.
Total: Since Thursday, over 50 tornado reports have been recorded, with at least nine confirmed tornadoes ranging from EF-0 to EF-3.
Government Response
- Missouri: Governor Kehoe declared a state of emergency on Friday, citing thunderstorms with damaging winds over 80 mph.
- Michigan: Governor Gretchen Whitmer activated the state's Emergency Operations Center. She announced plans to declare a state of emergency for Branch, Cass, and St. Joseph counties.
- Oklahoma: Governor Kevin Stitt declared a state of emergency in several Oklahoma counties.
- Texas: Marion County issued a disaster declaration due to tornado activity causing damage and injuries. Mineral Wells issued a disaster declaration and imposed a 10 p.m. curfew.
- Minnesota: Governor Tim Walz declared a state of emergency on Sunday due to wildfires (Flanders Fire in Crow Wing County) and mobilized the National Guard.
Power Outages
- Kansas: More than 35,000 customers were without power as of Tuesday afternoon.
- Michigan: Authorities anticipated power outages in St. Joseph County.
Damage Overview
- Michigan: Major structural damage to homes and pole barns in Cass County. The First Congregational United Church of Christ in Union City sustained damage.
- Texas: Two manufacturing companies in Mineral Wells lost buildings. Multiple homes were damaged near Runaway Bay.
- Illinois: The Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield was significantly damaged; an emu was killed and a rhea was injured. The zoo was closed Wednesday.
- Indiana: A barn was leveled near Botkins, Ohio. A roof was removed from a building in Richmond, Indiana. Home roofs were damaged in Pendleton, Indiana.
- Tennessee: A metal roof was peeled from a building in Ethridge.
- Missouri: Vehicles and power poles were damaged by large hail in Springfield.
Weather Forecast and Alerts
Severe Weather Outlook (by day):
- Tuesday (May 19): Level 2 of 5 risk from northeast Texas to Michigan.
- Wednesday: Level 3 of 5 enhanced threat from Missouri through central Illinois and Indiana. A tornado watch was issued for parts of West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Texas, Louisiana, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. A severe thunderstorm watch was issued for parts of Alabama and Tennessee.
- Thursday: 43 million people from the central Plains to the northern Great Lakes at risk. Only a few severe thunderstorms anticipated near the Southeast coast and Florida.
Flood Watches and Warnings:
- Over 13 million people are under flood watches across Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
- A flood watch remains in effect for portions of Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
- A flash flood emergency occurred in central Grundy County, Missouri, after 6-8 inches of rain fell in a few hours.
- In Lanesville, Indiana, residents climbed onto roofs to escape rising water.
- A flood watch is in effect for much of central and southern Texas, through Louisiana and southwest Mississippi until Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning.
- Houston is under a level 3/4 moderate risk for excessive rainfall through Thursday.
Heat and Fire Weather:
- 19 million people are under heat advisories from northern Minnesota to northeast Texas. The heat index could reach 108°F in some cities.
- Critical fire weather persists in parts of the Plains and Southwest due to warm, dry, and windy conditions.
- Red-flag warnings are in effect from Arizona to southern Nebraska and in California's Central San Joaquin Valley, with wind gusts up to 55 mph.
- The Flanders Fire in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, burned over 1,100 acres and was 0% contained as of Sunday morning.
- Wildfires broke out in Montana, the Dakotas, Texas, and New Mexico.
Temperatures:
- Unseasonably warm temperatures are expected in the southern US, potentially 20-30 degrees above average, reaching the 80s as far north as parts of the Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic.
- New daily temperature records were set in Seattle (89°F) and Portland (94°F) in the Pacific Northwest.
Safety Recommendations
Public safety recommendations from authorities include:
- Utilize multiple methods to receive official warnings from the National Weather Service (smartphones, NOAA weather radios).
- Identify the safest shelter location within a home or community shelter before a storm.
- Take immediate shelter upon the issuance of a warning, including for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes.
Note: The information provided has been synthesized from multiple news sources, covering events from April 30, 2025, through June 15, 2026, and represents a consolidation of reported facts across a period of severe weather activity.