TL;DR

Four tornadoes were reported across Michigan, North Dakota, and South Dakota on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, alongside 333 wind reports and 24 hail reports. The most significant damage occurred in Freeland, Michigan, where 30 to 40 homes sustained roof and siding damage and multiple campers were overturned. No EF ratings have been issued yet.

What Happened Tuesday

A multi-state severe weather outbreak unfolded across the Upper Midwest and Northern Plains on Tuesday, producing four confirmed tornadoes and widespread damaging winds. The event was driven by a broad upper-level trough and strong low-level jet that created favorable conditions for severe thunderstorms from the Dakotas through the Great Lakes.

The most significant tornado damage occurred in Freeland, Michigan, where the National Weather Service office in Detroit (DTX) documented reports of 30 to 40 homes with roof and siding damage, along with numerous overturned campers. The tornado was reported at 1714 UTC (approximately 1:14 PM local time) about one mile north of Freeland.

A second Michigan tornado touched down at 1719 UTC near Montrose, roughly three miles northeast of town. A spotter relayed video of a brief, small tornado in a farm field near Lake and Marshall roads, according to NWS Detroit.

Northern Plains Tornadoes

Two additional tornadoes were confirmed in the Dakotas during the evening hours.

In North Dakota, a tornado was reported via social media by a storm chaser at 0021 UTC (7:21 PM local time) approximately three miles east of Noonan, near the Canadian border. NWS Bismarck (BIS) documented the report.

South Dakota saw a tornado touch down near Henry at 0506 UTC, reported by NWS Aberdeen (ABR). Details on this tornado remain limited at this time.

No EF ratings have been assigned to any of the four tornadoes as of this writing. National Weather Service survey teams typically conduct damage assessments in the days following tornado reports to determine intensity on the Enhanced Fujita scale.

Widespread Wind Damage

The dominant hazard on Tuesday was damaging straight-line winds, with 333 wind reports spanning 18 states from the Rockies through the Midwest and into the Southeast.

Tennessee saw concentrated wind damage, with multiple trees down across Wilson and Rutherford counties. In the Belinda City and Mount Juliet areas, trees fell on homes and power lines. An off-duty NWS employee in Gladeville reported a neighbor's dogwood tree split in half during estimated 60 mph wind gusts.

Kansas recorded numerous high wind reports, including a 65 mph gust measured by a personal weather station eight miles north of Brewster. Garden City's ASOS station recorded a 61 mph gust.

Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Wisconsin also documented significant wind damage, including snapped trees, downed power poles, and structural damage to awnings and outdoor structures.

Hail Across the Northern Plains

Large hail accompanied the severe weather, with 24 hail reports concentrated primarily in North Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and South Dakota.

The largest hailstone was reported in Fortuna, North Dakota, where an emergency manager documented three-inch diameter hail at 2340 UTC (6:40 PM local time). Golf ball-sized hail (1.75 inches) was reported in multiple North Dakota communities, including Richardton and Fortuna.

Nebraska saw baseball-sized hail (2.75 inches) reported 18 miles west-northwest of Tryon, documented via social media photos according to NWS North Platte (LBF).

The Broader Pattern

Tuesday's severe weather occurred within a favorable synoptic setup featuring a broad upper-level trough over the northern United States and an advancing cold front. A strong southwesterly low-level jet transported ample moisture northward, while deep-layer wind shear supported rotating storms.

The Storm Prediction Center's Day 1 outlook for Wednesday, June 10, maintains an Enhanced Risk across portions of the Upper Mississippi Valley and Midwest, indicating the potential for additional severe weather in the region. Scattered to numerous severe thunderstorms with large hail exceeding two inches in diameter, a few strong tornadoes, and damaging winds with gusts over 75 mph are forecast for Wednesday afternoon and evening.

What Comes Next

National Weather Service offices in Detroit, Bismarck, and Aberdeen will conduct damage surveys in the coming days to assess tornado intensity and damage paths. Survey teams examine structural damage, vegetation damage, and radar data to assign EF ratings.

Avoid downed power lines and assume all lines are energized.

For those in the Enhanced Risk area on Wednesday, now is the time to review your severe weather plan. Know where you'll shelter if a tornado warning is issued, and ensure you have multiple ways to receive warnings.

Third-party weather apps are silenced by Do Not Disturb mode, though Wireless Emergency Alerts for tornado warnings still break through on most phones. For those concerned about nighttime tornadoes when sleeping, VORTEX Pro places phone calls that bypass Do Not Disturb entirely when a tornado or flash flood warning is issued for your saved location.

VORTEX is a free web app at vortexintel.app that monitors severe weather nationwide. Pro ($4.99/month) places phone calls to your phone when a tornado or flash flood warning is issued for a location you care about — calls can ring through Do Not Disturb once you enable Emergency Bypass for the number, unlike most third-party app notifications.