A severe weather event that included an EF-0 tornado and damaging winds up to 70 mph hit Metro Detroit on Thursday, causing widespread damage and power outages. According to DTE Energy, around 450,000 customers were affected, with 10,687 still without service as of Sunday at 11:20 p.m. ET. Utility crews, numbering around 4,000, are working to restore power, with an estimated completion time by the end of Sunday. The severe weather event has caused significant damage in Southeast Michigan, with one pastor describing it as "one of the most significant damage due to a weather event" in his career.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Tens of thousands of people in Michigan are without power after severe storms swept through the area, with crews working to restore electricity as quickly as possible. The storms brought damaging winds of up to 70 mph on Thursday, causing significant damage to buildings and infrastructure. In Lincoln Park, a park was damaged in front of Kennedy Memorial Rec and Senior Center, while an EF-0 tornado was confirmed to have touched down in Southeast Michigan amid the severe weather. Nearby, a church narrowly avoided major damage despite surrounding destruction, with its pastor crediting luck for sparing his congregation's building. The National Weather Service confirmed that the storms were caused by tornadoes, including one that touched down on Thursday.
Written for “Michigan Storm Power Outage” on 2026-09-07,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
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No political leaning scored for article 4999 · logged 2026-09-07
It's been almost two days since severe weather hit multiple communities in Metro Detroit.
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weather → hit → Detroit
The National Weather Service confirmed Friday that
touched down in Southeast Michigan amid the severe weather.
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Service → confirm → weather
"We were driving down, and we see these uprooted trees and we couldn't believe it," said Julie Vasquez, who grew up in Lincoln Park, Michigan.
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who → drive → Park
The damaging winds that reached up to 70 mph around 4 p.m. blew through Fort Street, damaging the park in front of Kennedy Memorial Rec and Senior Center.
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that → damage → Center
"She was just here at a concert a couple weeks ago and I grew up here.
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I → grow → concert
It's devastating," said Vasquez.
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Vasquez → say → ?
Another miracle occurred on Meldrum and Benson streets in Detroit.
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miracle → occur → Detroit
The New Liberty Baptist Church only faced a power outage after an EF-2 tornado in the area ripped apart homes, industrial buildings and many power lines.
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tornado → face → homes
"We were very amazed by the damage around us, but very little to our church building," said Pastor Maurice Stimage.
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Stimage → say → building
He says the community has never faced such devastation, but that he and his members plan to lend a helping hand.
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he → say → hand
It just feels like we've been hit really hard.
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we → feel → ?
There are many small businesses in this area wondering how they're going to come back from this type of devastation," said Stimage.
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Stimage → be → devastation
"Damage that I am seeing here is one of the, if not the most, significant damage due to a weather event in my career," said DTE Energy Senior Vice President of Electric Operations Brian Claka.
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Claka → see → Operations
The utility company said there were around 4,000 utility workers focused on restoring power on Saturday and Sunday.
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company → say → Saturday
Since the severe weather began Wednesday, Claka says, in total, around 450,000 customers were impacted.
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customers → begin → total
As of Sunday at 11:20 p.m. ET, 10,687 people are still without service, according to DTE Energy's outage map.
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people → accord → map
While DTE works to restore power and make sure that its power lines and poles are strong and sturdy for the future, it asks those cleaning up or running generators to move with caution.
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it → work → caution
The company is asking people to refrain from doing cleanup before power crews ensure how dangerous power lines are in the area.
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lines → ask → area
"We do realize the generators are in use.
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generators → realize → use
I can hear a few going on right now.
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few → hear → ?
They should remain outdoors," said Claka.
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Claka → remain → ?
The utility company said it expected power to be restored to all impacted customers by the end of Sunday.
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power → say → Sunday
