Slotkin, Peters ask National Weather Service why no tornado watch was issued for deadly storms

One week after four tornadoes touched down in southwest Michigan, killing four people and injuring 22, U.S. Sens. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly) and Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Township) sent a letter to the director of the National Weather Service seeking answers into why no tornado watch was issued ahead of the storms.

In their letter to National Weather Service Director Ken Graham, Slotkin and Peters requested information on what prevented the weather service from issuing a tornado watch for the March 6 storms and what changes would be needed to improve its ability to provide timely and accurate forecasts and alerts in the future.

“We mourn for those who lost their lives to this storm, and we stand fully prepared to work with the impacted families and communities to begin the process of rebuilding and recovering,” Peters and Slotkin wrote in their March 13 letter. “At the same time, we seek to better understand how this tragic event unfolded and what changes are required to better protect public safety and avoid such tragic loss of life during future extreme weather events.”

A request for comment was left with the National Weather Service’s press office.



https://michiganadvance.com/2026/03/16/slotkin-peters-ask-national-weather-service-why-no-tornado-watch-was-issued-for-deadly-storms/