UNION CITY, MI (WTVB) – Michigan’s U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin are demanding answers from the National Weather Service (NWS) following a deadly severe weather outbreak on March 6.
In a formal letter addressed to NWS Director Kenneth Graham, the lawmakers questioned why a tornado watch was never issued despite four tornadoes touching down across the southwest portion of the state.
The senators are specifically investigating whether staffing shortages or a lack of technical resources prevented the agency from alerting residents earlier.
While tornado warnings were eventually triggered for the impacted areas of Edwardsburg, Three Rivers, Union City, and Clarendon Township, the lack of a preliminary watch has raised serious concerns about emergency preparedness.
The storms resulted in four fatalities and the destruction of dozens of homes. Peters and Slotkin are seeking a detailed explanation of the decision-making process that day to ensure that future meteorological gaps are addressed to protect Michigan residents.
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