Three months after an EF-2 tornado tore through Three Rivers, Mayor Angel Johnston still remembers walking streets she knew by heart and not recognizing them.
"There were streets in the aftermath that were absolutely unrecognizable," Johnston said.
The community is still rebuilding after the storm, one of 16 tornadoes reported in Michigan so far this year as the state enters the peak of tornado season.
As tornado season continues in Michigan, the state has already exceeded its average annual tornado count, according to the National Weather Service. The active season comes as communities across the state continue recovering from severe weather that has left behind widespread damage.
Michigan averages 14 tornadoes per year based on data collected between 1996 and 2025. So far in 2026, the state has recorded 16 tornadoes, according to National Weather Service Grand Rapids meteorologist Rebecca Hansen.
“We're currently above average for that 30-year average,” Hansen said.
So far, places like Montcalm and Gratiot counties have also become victims of a tornado's destructive nature.
Hansen said most of the state's tornado activity this year has been concentrated in the southern half of the Lower Peninsula.
“Most of the tornadoes have occurred in the southern half of the lower peninsula, or really just mainly south of US-10, across the state, with east and southeast Michigan, including the Detroit area, seeing the most at around six tornadoes,” Hansen said. “Otherwise, the Grand Rapids area, for our forecast area in western Michigan, we've seen four, and then along with northern Indiana, that covers several counties. In southwest Michigan, there have been four observed tornadoes in that area as well.”
Hansen added that June is typically Michigan's peak month for tornado activity, meaning the potential for additional severe weather remains elevated.
Recent forecasts from the Climate Prediction Center indicate an 82% chance that El Niño conditions will develop between May and July and continue through the Northern Hemisphere winter. The forecast places the likelihood of El Niño at 96% between December and February 2027.
Earlier this year, Ryan Harriott, president and founder of Michigan Storm Chasers, predicted a more active severe weather season in Michigan because of shifting climate patterns in the Pacific Ocean that influence weather across the United States.
A Community Damaged, but Rebuilding
One community still recovering from this year's severe weather is Three Rivers, where an EF-2 tornado caused extensive damage. Despite the destruction, Mayor Angel Johnston said residents have continued to rebuild with the support of volunteers and relief organizations.
“We had so much help,” Johnston said. “It was just an overwhelming amount of love and support poured over our community. Immediately from the Red Cross, they were here within just a couple hours and then many organizations, one called Samaritan's Purse, also came and they actually stayed a couple of weeks, organizing volunteers, they brought in their own volunteers, giving our residents and our locals the infrastructure and support that they needed to be effective volunteers.”
Johnston said the tornado "cut just a line straight through our entire town", taking out many homes in the process.
“There were some that received significant damage, some that received moderate, some that received minor damage. But pretty much everybody in the path had something they had to deal with. There are folks who will not be back in their homes for over a year because the damage was so significant.”
Johnston said a resident told her he wasn’t aware of the tornado’s path making its way towards the town until his house started to come apart around him. All that was left was rubble where his garage stood.
"I had canvassed his street significantly,” Johnston said. “I had to ask neighbors what street I was on, streets that I know like the back of my hand, and it was absolutely devastating to see our neighborhoods just unrecognizable.”
Johnston said the town is still putting together an estimate of how much repairs will cost, but she said they will be “millions and millions and millions of dollars”.
“Our Menards got hit dramatically, and that's going to be millions just to work on that building,” Johnston said. “They've partially reopened, but not completely. Our hotels were hit really hard, lots of broken windows. One of our medical centers, I believe, is still closed. And the number of trees that came down and were sort of ripped out of the ground. I mean, that's just hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage. And that's even the ones I'm thinking of are just the ones the city is responsible for, not even the residents. I'm just thinking of one on the terrace and just on city property. Our cemetery was hit really hard.”
Staying Prepared Saves Lives
Talking about her love for following the weather and calling herself a “weather nerd”, Johnston offered advice to Michiganders on how to prepare for severe weather.
“I would say the most important thing anybody can do is follow the Michigan Storm Chasers,” Johnston said. “They are the reasons that so many people were able to take cover during our storm, and they cover every single warning from start to finish. Any storm year-round, whether it's snow or hazardous weather in terms of tornadoes or wind or thunderstorms, they're always going to cover you start to finish. They're a wonderful group of storm chasers, and they have a meteorologist on staff too and they have been just such a blessing.”
Johnston said the organization taught her something important that came in handy and ultimately saved her and her dog’s life during a storm last year, where straight line winds damaged her home.
“I knew there was a storm coming, but we would have been outside. And they said, treat this like a tornado. When this comes in, it gets hot and fast. And I was standing near a window, and I realized I should back up and I had them on my TV. When they gave that warning, I looked outside. As soon as I saw the wind kick up, I grabbed my dog, my purse, and the most important thing, my shoes and I rounded the corner into my kitchen as my neighbor's tree fell into my tree and then into my dining room. And my entire house was full of glass.”
Johnston said if she had not brought her shoes with her, she wouldn’t know what to do. Since then, she keeps a pair of boots in her basement in case of another severe weather event.
You never know what you might walk back out into,” Johnston said. “Even if your house is in one piece, bring some shoes with you when you go into your basement. It's so important.”
Another crucial tip she offered was for residents to buy whistles and keep them around their necks during a storm.
“If you're under rubble, a whistle is going to help a rescuer find you,” Johnston said.” “That's something else that I have in my storm kit. Again, follow the Michigan storm chasers. They have saved countless lives, including my own.”
Tips and advice for preparing for a tornado from NWS include regularly checking forecasts and listening to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio to stay informed, create a family communication plan. In the event of a tornado, individuals are advised to go to the lowest level of their household or building while staying away from the windows.
This story is brought to you as part of a partnership between WKAR and Michigan State University's Knight Center for Environmental Journalism.
