108
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
0
Direct injuries
$1.1M
Property damage
Flash Flood in Berkshire County, Massachusetts: 108 recorded events between 1996 and 2023. The strongest on record measured 0. That places the county #144 nationally and #1 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Flash Flood in Berkshire County, Massachusetts: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for flash flood in Berkshire County is the 2010s, when 51 of the county's 108 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Berkshire County archive, flash flood makes up 10.8% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #144 for this hazard and #1 within Massachusetts, putting it in the 95.4 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jul is the peak month for flash flood in Berkshire County with 33 recorded events, while Feb is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 14, 2023 | PITTSFIELD | 0 | $0 |
| Jun 2, 2023 | BRAYTONVILLE | 0 | $25K |
| Jul 18, 2021 | NORTH OTIS | 0 | $0 |
| Jul 18, 2021 | NORTH OTIS | 0 | $0 |
| Jul 18, 2021 | BECKET | 0 | $0 |
| Jul 18, 2021 | NORTH OTIS | 0 | $0 |
| Jul 18, 2021 | EAST LEE | 0 | $0 |
| Jul 18, 2021 | LENOX | 0 | $0 |
| Jul 18, 2021 | LENOX | 0 | $75K |
| Jul 18, 2021 | PITTSFIELD | 0 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Berkshire County
- Thunderstorm Wind 653
- Hail 177
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Heavy rainfall from thunderstorms heavily damaged a 1.5 mile stretch of the Berry Pond Circuit Road in the Pittsfield State Forest in Pittsfield. As a result of the flash flooding, 13 popular campsites at Berry Pond had to be closed for the remainder of the summer season due to the damaged access road. A local newspaper reported that when the flash flooding occurred, campers had to be evacuated before water cascading down the mountain gouged out the paved road. The damage to the road and eleven stone culverts was estimated to be significant and will cost between $173,000 and $277,000 to repair.
The combination of heavy rainfall and mud and debris blocking storm drains resulted in flash flooding across the City of North Adams. Several roadways had to be shut down including Church Street, Mansion Street and River Street. Water and debris also covered portions of Ashland Street, Eagle Street and Elmwood Avenue.
Heavy rain caused flash flooding throughout the Berkshires, with over an inch of rain reported at the Pittsfield Airport. At times, more than six inches of water covered the intersection of Tyler Street and Woodlawn Avenue in Pittsfield.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many flash flood events are on record in Berkshire County, Massachusetts?
108 flash flood events are recorded in Berkshire County between 1996 and 2023, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest flash flood recorded in Berkshire County?
The strongest flash flood on record in Berkshire County measured 0.
Where does the flash flood data for Berkshire County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Flash Flood in Berkshire County, Massachusetts.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/massachusetts/berkshire-county/flash-flood/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.