EF-1 Tornado Carves 1.7-Mile Path of Destruction in Ann Arbor

National Weather Service confirms tornado touched down near I-94 and Jackson Ave.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 8:37pm

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A sweeping, atmospheric landscape painting depicting the aftermath of a tornado in Ann Arbor, with the twisted remnants of buildings and uprooted trees dwarfed by the dramatic, swirling clouds overhead.The powerful EF-1 tornado that struck Ann Arbor left a trail of destruction, but no loss of life, in its wake.Ann Arbor Today

A powerful EF-1 tornado touched down in Ann Arbor, Michigan early Wednesday morning, carving a 1.7-mile path of destruction through the city. The tornado ripped the wall off the Veterans' Memorial Park Ice Arena, snapped stadium lights, uprooted trees, and caused widespread power outages, leading to the closure of all Ann Arbor public schools for the day. No injuries were reported, but the city will be conducting door-to-door damage assessments in the coming days.

Why it matters

Tornadoes are relatively rare in Michigan, and an EF-1 event with winds up to 110 mph is considered a significant weather event for the region. The damage to public facilities, homes, and businesses highlights the potential for severe storms to disrupt daily life and the importance of emergency preparedness in Ann Arbor.

The details

The National Weather Service confirmed the EF-1 tornado touched down where Jackson Avenue and I-94 meet before continuing east on a 1.7-mile path. Shocking video showed the moment the tornado ripped the wall off the Veterans' Memorial Park Ice Arena, and winds also snapped stadium lights and uprooted trees. From the park, the tornado continued east, tearing up neighborhoods and ripping the roof off a building on 4th Street as it approached downtown. While the tornado ended there, straight-line winds continued to batter buildings, trees, and homes from residential areas to the University of Michigan campus.

  • The tornado touched down early Wednesday morning (April 16, 2026).
  • The tornado carved a 1.7-mile path of destruction through Ann Arbor.

The players

National Weather Service

The federal agency that confirmed the EF-1 tornado and provided details on its path and strength.

Jamie Woolard

An Ann Arbor resident who described the tornado sounding "a little bit like a freight train."

Sydney Parmenter

The Ann Arbor emergency manager who said the city will be conducting door-to-door damage assessments.

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What they’re saying

“I've always heard a tornado sounds like a freight train, and it kinda sounded a little bit like that.”

— Jamie Woolard, Ann Arbor resident

“We work directly with the National Weather Service. We heard directly from them last night that this was a tornado. They were able to confirm this was an EF-1 tornado, the path, and then they were on our EOC call earlier this morning sharing additional information.”

— Sydney Parmenter, Ann Arbor emergency manager

“No one was injured by this tornado, and we're very grateful for that.”

— Sydney Parmenter, Ann Arbor emergency manager

What’s next

The city of Ann Arbor will be conducting door-to-door damage assessments in the coming days to determine the full extent of the destruction caused by the tornado and straight-line winds.

The takeaway

This tornado serves as a stark reminder of the potential for severe weather to cause significant damage, even in areas not typically associated with tornado activity. The lack of injuries is fortunate, but the widespread power outages and destruction to homes, businesses, and public facilities underscore the importance of emergency preparedness and resilience in the face of extreme weather events.