Berkshire County, Massachusetts
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 25003 · population 128,939 · 927 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,812 records for Berkshire County, Massachusetts from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 796 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (660 records). The deadliest single record is the August 28, 1973 tornado: 4 deaths and 36 injuries. FEMA has issued 23 declarations naming the county since 1985, 21 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Lee” on September 15, 2023.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 1,812on 796 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1181 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $185Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 19strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 23latest 2023
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Berkshire County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 660 since 1956. 48% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 fell in June and July. The rank column places the county among Massachusetts's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 660 | 267 | 1956-2026 | 4 | 7 | $2.3M | 5 of 12 |
| Winter storms | 415 | 238 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 8 | $2.2M | 5 of 12 |
| Hail | 177 | 102 | 1955-2025 | 0 | 0 | $128K | 5 of 12 |
| High wind and dust storms | 175 | 109 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $656K | 10 of 12 |
| Floods | 153 | 74 | 1996-2023 | 0 | 0 | $4.3M | 10 of 12 |
| Extreme cold | 131 | 69 | 2000-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 12 |
| Heat | 42 | 24 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 12 |
| Tornadoes | 19 | 16 | 1955-2020 | 7 | 60 | $174M | 8 of 12 |
| Lightning | 16 | 15 | 1997-2024 | 0 | 5 | $347K | 11 of 12 |
| Drought | 12 | 7 | 1999-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 12 of 12 |
| Wildfires | 5 | 5 | 2002-2024 | 0 | 0 | $71K | 1 of 12 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 4 | 2 | 2011-2020 | 0 | 1 | – | 12 of 12 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2007-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 12 of 12 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 1 | 2020-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 12 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Berkshire County had?
NOAA records 19 tornadoes in Berkshire County from 1955 to 2020, the strongest rated F4, with 7 deaths and 60 injuries recorded in the county. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 19 tornadoes whose track touched Berkshire County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 19, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 7 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973-08-28 11:34, as SPC files it | UnnamedCrossed MA, NY | F4 | 9.8 mi | 4 |
| 1995-05-29 16:06, as SPC files it | Great Barrington | F4 | 11.5 mi | 3 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Massachusetts.
Every tornado record filed for Berkshire County (19)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-08-02 | New Boston, Berkshire County | EF0 0.25 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2014-07-27 | North Adams Jct, Berkshire County | EF1 0.25 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-06-29 | Great Barrington, Berkshire County | F0 200 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-08-20 | Pittsfield, Berkshire County | F0 1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $39K |
| 1997-07-03 | Richmond, Berkshire County | F1 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $92K |
| 1997-07-03 | West Otis, Berkshire County | F2 3.7 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.8M |
| 1997-07-03 | Monterey, Berkshire County | F2 4.5 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.8M |
| 1997-07-03 | Florida, Berkshire County | F1 1.3 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $28K |
| 1995-05-29 | N. Egremont, Berkshire County | F4 300 mi x 12 yd | 3 | 24 | $484 |
| 1984-07-11 | Berkshire County | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1978-07-27 | Berkshire County | F0 0.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1975-07-13 | Berkshire County | F2 0.3 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1973-08-28 | Berkshire County | F4 6.4 mi x 313 yd | 4 | 36 | $25M step |
| 1970-06-18 | Berkshire County | F1 18.7 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1966-08-11 | Berkshire County | F2 8 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1966-03-01 | Berkshire County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1963-10-03 | Berkshire County | F1 3 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1958-09-07 | Berkshire County | F0 2.3 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1955-07-12 | Berkshire County | F2 0.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Berkshire County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 30, 2026 thunderstorm wind.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindDrury, Berkshire County | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindLanesborough, Berkshire County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindSheffield, Berkshire County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindPittsfield, Berkshire County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindPittsfield, Berkshire County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindPittsfield, Berkshire County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindCheshire, Berkshire County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindPittsfield Airport, Berkshire County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindLee, Berkshire County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindLanesborough, Berkshire County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-31 | Thunderstorm WindLenox, Berkshire County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Strong WindBerkshire County · forecast zone Southern Berkshire | 45 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973-08-28 | TornadoBerkshire County | F4 6.4 mi x 313 yd | 4 | 36 | $25M step |
| 1995-05-29 | TornadoN. Egremont, Berkshire County A tornado touched down near Prospect Lake in North Egremont at 1906 EST and moved in an easterly direction at about 40 mph, crossing into Great Barrington and then Monterey. The last damage occurred near Morley Hill in Sandisfield at 1924 EST. Officially, the track extended from one mile southeast of north Egremont to ... | F4 300 mi x 12 yd | 3 | 24 | $484 |
| 2022-07-12 | Thunderstorm WindWest Stockbridge, Berkshire County Lenox Police reported that a 56 year old man was killed when a large tree came down in the travel line onto his pickup truck at the intersection of Route 7 and Old Stockbridge Road. Report was obtained via a local newspaper. | 50 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2020-10-07 | Thunderstorm WindGreat Barrington Arp, Berkshire County A tree fell on a man on a golf cart at the Wyantenuck Country Club golf course resulting in a fatality. Time was estimated by radar. | 45 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $1K |
| 2011-07-26 | Thunderstorm WindHinsdale, Berkshire County A tree was reported down on wires across Route 8 in Hinsdale. An 85-year man was killed after his motorcycle crashed into the fallen tree which was entangled with live electric wires. Multiple trees and wires were reported down on Middlefield Road in Peru. | 50 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 1995-07-15 | Thunderstorm WindOtis, Berkshire County | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2009-08-21 | Thunderstorm WindLenox, Berkshire County A roof was partially ripped off a horse barn and several trees were reported down due to strong thunderstorm winds at the Aspinwall Equestrian Center off Route 7A, Main Street, in Lenox. A large tree and power lines were downed on Route 7 and 20, Pittsfield Road, just north of the entrance to the Aspinwell Shops due ... | 60 kt wind | 0 | 3 | – |
| 2009-02-18 | Winter WeatherBerkshire County · forecast zone Southern Berkshire A bus carrying members of the Albany River Rats minor league hockey team rolled on its side on westbound Interstate 90 near Becket early Thursday morning, resulting in three serious injuries. The bus struck a guard rail and rolled onto its side at approximately 0335 LST. Slippery roadways from wet snow were believed ... | 0 | 3 | – |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-07-03 | TornadoMonterey, Berkshire County | F2 4.5 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.8M |
| 1997-03-31 | Winter StormBerkshire County · forecast zone Berkshire | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | |
| 2023-07-10 | FloodBraytonville, Berkshire County | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | |
| 1996-01-19 | FloodBerkshire County · forecast zone Northern Berkshire | 0 | 0 | $941K | |
| 2021-07-27 | Thunderstorm WindLenox, Berkshire County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $545K |
| 1999-09-16 | Flash FloodCountywide, Berkshire County | 0 | 0 | $443K | |
| 2014-07-28 | Flash FloodHancock, Berkshire County | 0 | 0 | $345K | |
| 1996-06-08 | Flash FloodPittsfield/Sheffield, Berkshire County | 0 | 0 | $282K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $25M, in the dollars of the day) holds: August 28, 1973 (tornado, Berkshire County, 4 killed).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Berkshire County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 3 | 10 | 12 | 36 | 85 | 126 | 207 | 181 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 25 | 124 | 144 | 122 |
| Hail | 2 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 42 | 67 | 42 | 6 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 9 | 27 | 67 | 72 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 10 | 54 | 62 | 27 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 0 | 26 | 64 | 41 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
48% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 203 · Feb 172 · Mar 110 · Apr 48 · May 185 · Jun 207 · Jul 328 · Aug 186 · Sep 79 · Oct 74 · Nov 54 · Dec 166 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Berkshire County
FEMA's register lists 23 declarations that include Berkshire County: 11 major disasters, 12 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for snowstorm (7) and hurricane (6).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-09-15 | EM-3599 | Hurricane | Hurricane Lee |
| 2020-03-27 | DR-4496 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3438 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013-04-19 | DR-4110 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding |
| 2012-10-28 | EM-3350 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-01-06 | DR-4051 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2011-11-01 | EM-3343 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm |
| 2011-09-03 | DR-4028 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Irene |
| 2011-08-26 | EM-3330 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-03-07 | DR-1959 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2009-01-05 | DR-1813 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Flooding |
| 2008-12-13 | EM-3296 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2007-05-16 | DR-1701 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding |
| 2005-11-10 | DR-1614 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3252 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-02-17 | EM-3201 | Snowstorm | Record and/Or Near Record Snow |
| 2004-01-15 | EM-3191 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2003-03-11 | EM-3175 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2001-03-28 | EM-3165 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1996-01-24 | DR-1090 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 |
| 1993-03-16 | EM-3103 | Snowstorm | Blizzards, High Winds & Record Snowfall |
| 1987-04-18 | DR-790 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1985-10-28 | DR-751 | Hurricane | Hurricane Gloria |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Berkshire County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 153 flood or flash flood records for Berkshire County from 1996 to 2023, on 74 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Berkshire County ranks 615th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $3.1 million on 388 claims filed in Berkshire County; the most in one year was 100 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 8 · 1979: 36 · 1980: 5 · 1981: 8 · 1982: 4 · 1983: 8 · 1984: 38 · 1986: 3 · 1987: 8 · 1988: 1 · 1990: 6 · 1991: 2 · 1993: 5 · 1994: 4 · 1995: 3 · 1996: 9 · 1998: 1 · 2000: 7 · 2001: 5 · 2003: 3 · 2004: 1 · 2005: 57 · 2006: 1 · 2007: 7 · 2008: 6 · 2009: 20 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 100 · 2013: 4 · 2014: 9 · 2015: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2018: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2021: 9 · 2023: 2 · 2025: 1; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Berkshire County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Berkshire County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $51.8 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $41M | 2.6 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $3.2M | once in about 13 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.3M | 1.8 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $293K | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.4M | 4.3 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $469K | 26 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $22K | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $921K | once in about 949 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Berkshire County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in MassachusettsEvery Massachusetts tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in MassachusettsThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Massachusetts recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Berkshire CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Berkshire County's FEMA declarations (CSV)23 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis